My Brother's Keeper
by REIDFANATIC
Summary: Reid's father comes to Quantico asking for Reid's help for his thirteen year old son who has a medical problem.  Relationships between Reid, his father, his halfbrother and his team are explored.  ReidOC
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**

**A/N: Special thanks to mablereid for all her support and encouragement**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"So these kids are being taken, kept for three days, then killed and left on church steps all dressed in white." Morgan had just summed up JJ's presentation of their latest case.

"Sounds like," Reid interjected, "that the killer's dressing them in white could be because he thinks they are pure or putting them on the church steps because he views them as angels."

"You could be right about that Reid," Emily agreed, "because he overdoses them with sleeping pills, he doesn't appear to punish or injure them in any way."

"Yeah," JJ added, "they're just laid our like they were sleeping."

The phone on the desk beeped. Hotch picked it up, "Hotchner. Well Anderson, we're kind of busy right now." He listened to Anderson's response. "Well how did he get in here if he won't give his name? Yes that's always the way. Okay Anderson you can bring him up. A matter of life and death, this better be good."

Hotch hung up the phone and said, "There's a man here to see Reid. He won't give his name and won't speak to anyone else. He says it's a matter of life and death."

"So how did he get in here without giving his name?" Gideon was curious.

"Apparently he knows Senator Denton from Ohio; they used to teach together at Penn State. Well, you know Denton used to be FBI, and I guess he talked to the director and the director provided a letter to get this guy in here. He must feel it's important."

There was a knock at the door. Morgan was the closest and got up to answer it. Anderson was standing there with a man who appeared to be in his fifties. He was just less than six feet, had brown hair that was graying at the temples. He looked at Morgan and said, "I was told I could talk to Spencer Reid here."

"Yes, he's in here."

Reid stood up as the man walked into the room, "How can I help y…" He stopped dead at the sight of the man. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped. He blinked and looked again as if to assure himself that what he was seeing was really in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

"Maybe we could talk in private."

"You could use my office if you want Reid," Hotch offered.

"No thanks Hotch, he won't be staying."

"Please, if you could just hear me out, it's important."

"I'm not the least bit interested in anything you have to say. Now please leave, that's something you're good at."

The team was somewhat shocked at Reid's attitude. He was usually so easy to get along with. They had never seen him treat anyone like this.

Gideon said to the man, "Is there something that one of us could help you with Mr…"

"Reid," Reid replied, "his name is William Reid and he is my so called father."

They all stared at the man they now knew to be Reid's father. Hotch's eyes hardened and his usually unreadable demeanor took on an intense scowl. A steaming anger burned in Morgan's eyes and he kept clenching and unclenching his fists. The usually pleasant JJ and easy going Garcia, both stood there like statues, living examples of the expression, if looks could kill. Emily, aware of Reid's childhood but not as familiar as the others with his situation, became alert to the sudden tension in the room as her eyes darted from Reid's father to her team members. Gideon's countenance went through a myriad of emotions, first, curiosity, to finally see the man whose selfish actions had been largely responsible for the hardship in Reid's life. Secondly, puzzlement, as if he was looking at some specimen under a microscope trying to understand how or why it did the things it did. Thirdly, sadness, that this father had given up on such a wonderful young man but then his expression changed to one of concern, not for William Reid, but for Spencer.

"Agent Anderson intimated that you said this was a matter of life or death," Gideon said. What is it you think we can do to help you?"

"There's nothing any of you can do," the senior Reid said, indicating the team. "Spencer is the only one who can help me."

"Why is that," Hotch inquired?

"I have another son, his name is Evan, he is thirteen years old, and in eighth grade. He's a great kid but he's suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia. We have done everything we can, been through every kind of treatment but nothing has worked. He's had chemotherapy, radiation, drug therapy, holistic medicine, all to no avail. The boy is dying and the doctors feel that the one and only thing that could save him is a bone marrow transplant. He's been on the list for a while and we haven't been able to find a match. The doctors all tell me the best chance for a match would be a brother, even a half brother."

"Let me get this straight," Morgan piped up. "What you're telling us is you want to scavenge the body of the son you deserted and left in charge of a mentally ill mother at the age of ten, the son you left to raise himself, the son you threw away like so much garbage, to help your other son."

"I know it sounds awful when you put it that way but…"

"Well, how would you put it dad? You went out for a walk fifteen years ago and just haven't made it home yet."

"Look, Spencer, I know you hate me and you have every right to…"

"Oh, ya think," Garcia interrupted.

"Maybe it would be better if we talked in private."

"No, I am not going anywhere. These are my friends and they are more family to me than you'll ever be, so if you have something to say to me, you can say it in front of them and if they want to give you flack, well you'll just have to suck it up or better yet, you can just leave, like I said before, you're good at that."

"Look, I know I probably shouldn't have come here but if any of you are parents, I'm sure you understand that you'll do anything to help your child."

"I'm your child, why did that sentiment never apply to me. What did you ever do to help me?"

William Reid stared back at his son, unable to come up with a satisfactory reply.

"What were you doing when you were ten years old, dad? Were you in little league and boy scouts? Well, let me tell you what I did. I made our meals, I cleaned the house, I looked after the yard. I made sure Mom got out of bed and took her medication. I had to help her get bathed and dressed some days. I attended high school where I was smarter than students six and seven years older than me. I spent a lot of time locked in my locker and recovering from bully attacks. You remember that nice big house we had with the library and games room upstairs. I had to sell it. I couldn't look after it; I was just too damn little! Oh yeah and all the correspondence from your lawyers, had to deal with that. I got us through, no thanks to you and you have the gall to come here and ask for my help. I'm sorry guys, I gotta get out of here, I can't stand to look at his face any longer." Reid brushed past his father and out the door, leaving the team and William Reid staring at each other.

William looked at the others. "I know I have no right to ask but if any of you have any influence with Spencer, could you please try and make him understand that Evan really needs his help." He took a card out of his pocket and put it on the table. "He can reach me at this number if he changes his mind." William turned and walked out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

The team stared at the card sitting on the conference table as if it were a time bomb about to go off. Finally Gideon reached over, picked it up and put it in his pocket. Garcia suddenly appeared to come out of her stupor and ran for the door.

"Now, where's she going," Morgan wondered?

"Probably to look for Reid," Hotch replied.

"Well that was certainly something to see, poor Reid, as if he hasn't had enough problems," Emily added.

"Yes," Gideon agreed, "He certainly didn't need this on top of everything else he's had to deal with."

William Reid was in the parking structure at Quantico, about to get into his vehicle, when he heard, "Stop right there Mr. Reid." William turned to see it was one of the blond women from the conference room. He turned to face her.

"What right have you got to come here and lay this whole mess of yours on Spencer. You never cared one iota about him before but now you think he can help you and suddenly you remember he's your son."

"Look, Miss…"

"Garcia."

"I wouldn't have come here if I felt I had any other option. My thirteen year old son's life is at stake and my wife and I are grasping at straws now and Spencer happens to be one of the straws the doctors feel might work. I know how much I've hurt him and how much he hates me and I realize that this was probably a futile effort but I had to try."

"I've imagined in my mind so many times what I'd say to you if I got the chance and now that it's here I'm so angry I can't think of anything. Do you have any idea what you did to that boy leaving him like that when he was a mere child and forcing him to become a man way before it was time? The problem is I think you do know and you don't even care, and you have the nerve to call yourself a father. Stay away from him, you hear me. We all love him and we'll take care of him so you just go back to Pennsylvania or wherever it was you came from and leave our precious boy alone. You got that!" Garcia turned and stomped back into FBI headquarters.

The others were sitting wordlessly in the conference room, each mulling over what they had just witnessed between the two Reid men when Garcia reentered the room. "Where you been Pen," Morgan asked?

"Oh, I just had to have a few choice words with that, well I won't call him a man."

"Garcia, what did you say," JJ wanted to know?

"To tell you the truth, I can't even remember now. I just lit into him. I suppose I'm in some kind of trouble for that, oh well I don't care. I had to stick up for Reid."

"Don't worry about it Garcia, we all had the same thought, you just got there first. Believe me, we all want to let that guy have it," Hotch responded.

Morgan spoke again, "Does anybody know where Reid went?" He suddenly burst from his seat, "You don't think he would…"

"The Dilaudid, oh God no, not after all he's been through. Oh God, I have to go find him, now. He's fine isn't he? He'll be all right, won't he?" JJ hurried out of the room.

JJ eventually found Reid holed up in Garcia's office. "Hey, what ya doing?"

"I was just going over the files from that new case again, trying to figure out the unsub's motive for killing these particular children."

"How are you doing, we're all concerned. You know we're here for you don't you. Garcia already gave your dad a piece of her mind."

Reid laughed, "She would."

"Well Hotch said she just beat the rest of us to it."

Reid nodded, "Thanks. We should get back to the conference room; we have a child killer to catch."

Reid and JJ entered the conference room a few minutes later and the others sat up, concern displayed boldly on each of their faces. "I'm okay guys; I've been down in Garcia's office looking over this case file, trying to come up with a motive for these killings."

"I hate child killers, I mean I hate all killers but kids really get to me. I mean who in their right mind would kill a child?" Emily slapped the file down on the desk angrily.

Gideon had been watching Reid since he had returned to the room with JJ. He suddenly got an intense look in his eye and his hands gripped the side of the table so hard his knuckles were white.

"Yeah, kids are so innocent, there should be no reason on earth for them to die," Morgan agreed.

"Are you all right Reid," Gideon said, concerned with the look he was seeing on the young agent's face.

"Did you know that after accidents leukemia is the leading cause of death for children between the ages of two and fifteen? Acute lymphocytic leukemia accounts for 80 of the acute leukemias in childhood. There's a 50–70 survival rate for acute lymphocytic leukemia with the proper treatment. Statistics say that only 5–10 of bone marrow transplant recipients die from rejection, it's called graft vs host rejection. That's not a very large percentage so on the whole it's usually a very worthwhile procedure."

The team all looked at Reid and would have smiled at the young agent's encyclopedic knowledge had the circumstances been anything but what they were. As it was they stayed quiet hoping he would carry on with his thoughts.

"I have to do this don't I?"

"No Reid," Gideon said, "You don't. It's completely up to you."

"I mean, I'm well aware that I might not even be a match but if I am and I do nothing, am I any better than this unsub that's taking these children's lives. Evan's a child too and he doesn't deserve to die any more than any of these children." He lifted the photos of the murdered children. "I have to do this or I won't be able to look at myself in the mirror. I'm not like my father." He paused for a moment. "I suppose he left a number." Gideon pulled the card from his pocket and handed it to Reid. Reid looked at the card like it was some kind of foreign object he had never seen before. Then he stood up and headed for the door saying, "I'll be back shortly; I have a phone call to make."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid returned to the conference room a while later, "I have an appointment this afternoon at Georgetown Medical Centre to have an HLA test performed."

"Once more Doc for those of us without a medical degree," Morgan responded.

"Human Leukocyte Antigen, it's a form of tissue typing. I doubt I'll be a match. You get half your antigens from your mother and half from your father. One in four siblings will match. Well Evan and I don't even share the same mother so we would have had to be really lucky and have gotten all the same antigens from our father and our mothers would have to be a fairly close match to each other for it to work. Anyway, I guess we'll find out."

"So what does this involve," JJ asked?

"All they do is draw blood, nothing freaky, five minutes and I'll be out of there. So where are we with the case?"

"Well we're planning on heading to Denver this evening; your blood stuff will be done by then?" Hotch supplied.

"Oh yeah, no problem."

"Okay, in the meantime, Morgan and Prentiss study crime scenes one and two, Gideon and I have scenes three and four, JJ will work with Denver PD and Reid I want you on victimology." Everyone scattered to their preferred locations to carry out their assignments.

At the appointed time Reid went to the Georgetown Medical Centre and had the blood drawn for the tissue typing. He was told that he would be informed of the results in the next couple of days and Reid returned to Quantico for the trip to Denver.

In Denver they met with the head of the investigation Vern Dwyer. He was glad to see the BAU; he told them he was getting nowhere in solving these homicides. Morgan, Prentiss, Hotch and Gideon headed out to view their assigned crime scenes. Reid and JJ stayed behind at the police headquarters and set up the usual white board.

Reid was working on his victimology. The children were between the ages of three and five, two boys, two girls, no help there. None of them attended the same schools or preschools, lived in the same part of town, or attended the same church. Reid was racking his brain and could find nothing to connect these children with one another.

Then he found one common thread, all four households were on the books of the Department of Child and Family Services.

The others on the team were arriving back from the crime scenes having gained no new knowledge. "Have you got anything Reid," Hotch wanted to know?

"Hotch, the only link I can find between these four children is that they were all on the books at DCFS. One was a victim of child abuse, the second, child neglect; the third child's mother was accused of delinquency of a minor, and the fourth, sexual abuse. Their DCFS workers were all different.

"Okay, well it's a place to start, we'll go to our hotel for the night and get a fresh start with the DCFS angle in the morning. Good work Reid."

The next morning the team went out to talk to the children's social workers from DCFS. None of them worked with all four of the children and none of them discussed their cases with each other. They didn't have group conferences where all the cases got discussed together so the team could still find no link between the children. "Who do you send your reports to Mrs. Dennis," Reid asked one of the social workers?

"I send all my reports to my superior Jean Schultz," Marie Dennis said.

Reid took out his cell phone and called Morgan, "Morgan, see who your social worker sends all her reports to."

Morgan spoke to the woman he was with and responded "Jean Schultz."

"Morgan, that's two for two that report to Jean Schultz. What do you think the chances are that the others do too. I'll call and find out."

Reid called the other two investigators and found out all the social workers involved with their murdered children, reported to Jean Schultz. That was their link.

When the BAU team returned to the Denver PD, Hotch said he would get Garcia on an investigation of Jean Schultz and went to place the call.

They were waiting for Garcia to get back with the information on Jean Schultz when Reid's cell phone rang. "Reid."

"Dr. Reid, this is Pamela Gordon from the lab at the Georgetown Medical Centre, I have the results of the HLA typing test that was done yesterday. You match five out of six markers with the intended recipient Evan Reid. That is not a perfect match as six out of six is perfect but many transplants are done with donor/recipient matches of five out of six. It will be up to Evan Reid's doctor but I would say the likelihood is that you will be accepted as a donor for Evan Reid. The medical centre will let you know what the doctor decides and if accepted you will have to come in to start the extraction process. You will hear from us as soon as we get the decision."

"Okay, thanks for calling." Reid ended the call. "That was the Georgetown Medical Centre and it looks like I am a pretty good match for Evan so they think that his doctors will probably go ahead with the transplant. They'll let me know."

"How do you feel about that, you were so sure you wouldn't be a match." Gideon asked?

"I guess I'm glad if I get to help save a kid's life, that's good, right?"

"Yes, Reid, I'd say that's very good." Gideon put his arm around Reid's shoulders and said, "Let's go get some lunch, I'll buy."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Still do not own Criminal Minds **

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Janice Reid was running up the stairs. "William, William I just got a call from Dr Folger, your son Spencer is a five out of six match to Evan." She ran excitedly into her husband's office. "William, did you hear me, isn't that great. That's the best news in the world. We've waited for so long to find a match, I know it's not perfect but it's almost as good as it gets." Her husband was not smiling. "William, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Jan, I'm just surprised, that's all. I was so sure Spencer wouldn't be a match. I mean I went there hat in hand to ask but I actually never thought he would even agree to try and when he did so begrudgingly, I never thought he'd be a match. I guess maybe Spencer might be good for something after all."

"That's not a very nice thing to say, after all, your son is being good enough to do this and he doesn't even know Evan."

"Oh don't make him out to be so magnanimous. He's probably doing it to impress the people in the BAU. He was putting on quite a show when I was there."

"Well, I really don't care why he's doing it. If he wants people to think he's king of the world, that's fine with me as long as it helps Evan get better, that's really all that's important."

"I just hope he doesn't think that this gives him a way into my life, that we are going to be father and son together because he's got another think coming."

"Let's not even think about any of that stuff until the transplant is over. And don't say anything to him to make him change his mind."

"What, I'm not going to say anything to him; I'm not even going to talk to him. Do you think I want contact with the freak or his mother?"

The team had gotten word from Garcia that Jean Schultz had worked at DCFS for fifteen years. She had been married the last fourteen years. She loved children and had not been able to have any of her own suffering through seven miscarriages. Her husband had been killed in an automobile accident two months ago.

"That must have been the stressor," Gideon said. "She wanted so badly to have children and she couldn't and yet every day these files crossed her desk about children being mistreated."

"She figured," Emily continued, "That if she couldn't have children to love then she was going to take these children away from people who mistreat them."

"So she took the children," Morgan added, "And she cared for them, didn't hurt them and eventually just put them to sleep so they would no longer be abused."

"Then she dressed them all in white and left them on the church steps like little angels for God to take them home," Reid finished.

They all headed out for a raid on Jean Schultz's home, finding not only sleeping pills by the hundreds but white outfits like the one each child was wearing when found. The woman was not apologetic for her actions, feeling she had saved these children from a life of misery and hardship.

The team was now on the plane back to Quantico after slaying another dragon; at least Reid thought that's how his mother would see it. He wondered what she would think of his father appearing out of the blue asking for help for his other son. Well, he wasn't going to tell her about that. That was something she didn't need to know.

"So Reid, what are you thinking about this bone marrow thing," JJ asked?

"Well I guess I have to go through a physical to make sure I'm healthy enough to do this, then they have to take a sample of my bone marrow and make sure it's acceptable, that there's nothing wrong with it. After all that is done to their satisfaction, I go for the actual extraction."

"Do you know what that extraction involves," Emily was curious.

"Yeah, I did some reading up on it."

"Of course you did," Morgan replied.

"So how are you feeling about it, I mean it was obvious there was no love lost between you and your father," Hotch added.

"Actually, Hotch, there was a lot of love lost, but it was lost a long time ago when I was struggling to get through school and look after my mother and our home. There was a time when I loved my father very much, just like any other little boy, back when our life was like the Donna Reed Show. It was a happy time, my parents were both professors at UNLV and they would come home at night and I would run into their arms and they would each hold me with one hand and swing me along. That was before my Mom took sick of course, then everything changed. Anyway, although I don't get along with my father, if there's a chance that I can help save Evan I feel I have to do it. I'll never be close to my father again, I don't want to be, but I still feel a need to help the boy. I think I would feel that even if he wasn't my half-brother. Does that make any sense?"

"Yes Reid, it makes perfect sense," Hotch replied.

Evan Reid was lying on his bed in his room watching TV when his mother came into his room. "Guess what buddy," Janice said with a huge smile on her face.

"Dad said we can order out for pizza," the boy looked hopeful. His doctors had put him on a diet rich in beta carotene, low in fat, whatever they thought would help his leukemia and pizza, one of his favorite things, was not on the list.

"Better," his mother said. "Your dad went to Quantico, Virginia a couple of days ago to talk to his first son Spencer about being a bone marrow donor for you and he agreed to get tested and he's a five out of six match and Dr. Folger thinks that's good enough to do the transplant. Isn't that great?"

Evan tried to smile for his mother. It was great news; however the doctors had explained to them all that a bone marrow transplant entailed. Before he could get the transplant, he would have to go through chemotherapy and radiation to kill his marrow cells so his body would accept the transplanted marrow and he was not looking forward to that. He would lose the little bit of hair that had grown back after his last bout of chemotherapy and he would be sick all the time. Yes the news was great.

"Mom, do you know him, my half-brother in Quantico?"

"No Sweetie, I've never met him. He and your father don't get along. I know he's some kind of genius and he works for the FBI in the BAU, that means he's a profiler and goes around catching serial killers and things like that."

"Wow, that sounds really cool. Do you think I'll get to meet him sometime?"

"Oh I doubt that Honey, as I said, he and your father do not get along. Anyway, I'll think about the pizza, how's that?"

"Okay Mom, thanks." Evan continued to watch the TV when a news clip came on about a social worker in Denver who had killed four children being caught, thanks to the work of the BAU. Evan's ears perked up and he watched the screen closely as it showed the police bringing the woman in and she was trying to hide her face from the camera. He could see a bunch of people coming behind her and they had vests on that said FBI. He got up close to the TV and looked at them. There were two women, one black man and one older man that couldn't be his half-brother. The other two men both had dark hair but one was quite a bit older than the other. They both moved by on the screen and he knew. He saw the brown hair and the brown eyes of someone that looked a lot like him only older. That guy must be his half-brother, Spencer Reid.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Still do not own Criminal Minds **

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid was glad today turned out to be a paperwork day. He had got the call early that morning that Dr. Folger, who was apparently Evan's doctor, had decided to proceed with the transplant of Spencer's bone marrow. So now there was another appointment at the Georgetown Medical Centre for him to have a physical. They had told him that it could not be done by his own personal physician; it had to be someone on the bone marrow transplant team, certified throughout the country. Reid hated physicals, who didn't? He wished he could just get the whole thing over with already and get back to his normal life. He wished they would just take the bloody stuff but no, physical, then withdraw some marrow and test it, then withdraw again, this time for the transplant. He was a scientist; he knew scientific procedure for God sake. Why was he being such a wimp, he asked himself, as he tried to concentrate on the paperwork in front of him.

At the appointed time he arrived at the medical centre for the physical. He subjected himself to being weighed, measured, poked, prodded, palpated, auscultated, x-rayed, scanned and questioned ad nauseum. He had samples taken, blood, urine and swabs from every imaginable orifice. By the time he was through, he felt the staff at the medical centre knew every inch of his body intimately. He thought that wherever his father was right now, he was probably laughing at this. After they were done, they informed him that once all the lab results were back, and considering all they had taken, Reid was thinking maybe next year, he would be called back for the bone marrow aspiration for testing. Wow, he was looking forward to that!

Needless to say, by the time he returned to the BAU, he was not in the best of moods. "So," Morgan teased, "How was the phys – i – cal?"

"It was great Morgan; I thought I'd do it again next week just for fun."

Morgan laughed at that but Emily looked at him and shook her head and he stopped, punching his best friend in the arm, "Sorry Reid, just trying to bring a little levity to the situation."

"I know man, I'm just trying to forget it happened and not think about the next phase of the procedure, and I want to try and get to work on this lovely stack of paperwork that appears to be growing before my eyes. Are you guys sure all this is mine, you're not pawning your stuff off on me again, sorry Emily not you," Reid said looking at Prentiss' shocked reaction to his last comment. "Because I can read 20,000 words a minute, some people" he glared at Morgan, "sometimes feel that I should have more paperwork just to make up for the advantage my reading speed gives me."

Hotch called him into the office shortly after he returned from Georgetown. "Reid, how did the physical go this morning, well afternoon as well," he said, looking at his watch.

"Sorry Hotch, it took longer than I thought; it was a far more intensive physical than I have ever been through before, even after rehab. You know me Hotch, not overeager to share every part of me so to be looked at by so many different people was a strange experience and one I don't wish to repeat, thank you very much."

"Do you think you need time off Reid, you're welcome to it?"

"God no, I don't want time off, I just want to work. I'm sorry that this is taking time away from the unit, I promise to stay late and get all my paperwork done. I don't want this interfering with my job."

"Reid, that wasn't what I meant at all. Please take all the time you need. This is a wonderful thing that you're doing and I hope you realize that we are all behind you, if it starts to get to you, talk to one of us please. We want to help, to be part of it in some way, if you will."

"Thanks Hotch, I'll remember that. I better get back to that stack of paperwork."

Eventually Reid had whittled the mountain of paperwork down to a small molehill and decided to take a break. He found Gideon in the break room. "So how did it go with the physical today?"

"Well, it's done; one step closer to getting the marrow extracted and then I'll be done with the whole procedure. I said I would do it and I'm sticking to my word but nobody said I had to enjoy it did they?"

"No Reid, nobody did. It's a really good thing you're doing; you know that, don't you?"

"You know, I really shouldn't complain. I was reading up on this and what Evan has to go through for this transplant is ten times worse than anything I have to suffer through, and he's just a kid."

'Yes, we see so much every day in this job of children suffering through things they shouldn't have to. You're a living example of that. There is no way you should have been expected to be a man at ten years old but it's what happened and like most children in those awful situations, you made it through. Sometimes we forget that kids are stronger than we think. Maybe as he's going through the procedures he can remember the reason he's going through them at all is that someone like you has been generous enough to offer a part of yourself to help him."

"Thanks Gideon, for helping put things in perspective."

"I'm always here, you know that."

Evan was sitting in front of the TV, but he wasn't really paying attention to what he was watching. Right now all he could think about was the bone marrow transplant he was getting from his half-brother in Quantico and how he finally had a chance to be whole again. He wished he knew his older brother, the FBI agent. He sat on his bed and said out loud, "Better watch out or I'll sic my brother the FBI agent on you, then you'll be sorry." Oh well, mom said it would probably never happen, he thought. She said he and Dad didn't get along, he wondered why. Then he thought to himself, nobody gets on well with Dad, why should Spencer be any different. It made him feel that they had something in common because Evan had to admit to himself that he didn't get along that well with his father either. Suddenly he sat up straighter and thought, maybe there's one thing I can do. He reached into his drawer and pulled out his writing pad, he leaned back on his headboard, smiled to himself and started writing, _**Dear Spencer,**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Once again, do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid was in the conference room looking over some notes, notes that had been left at some crime scenes in Florida. There hadn't been any murders, yet. There was some robbery and property damage but the notes hinted at worse things to come and the Tallahassee PD wanted a handwriting expert to look at them and see if there was any information to be gleaned from them. Reid was making notations on a pad, information he thought might be relevant to Tallahassee's investigation. His cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, Georgetown Medical Centre, what a surprise, he thought. He had gotten word the other day that he had passed his physical with flying colors although the doctor told him he was a little underweight, not enough to hold up the process but the doctor told Reid he shouldn't be missing any meals. He had then gone in for the bone marrow aspiration that was being tested to make sure his marrow was healthy. "Reid."

"Dr. Reid, this is Pamela Gordon again at Georgetown, how are you today?"

"Good, thanks."

"The results are back from the testing done on the bone marrow aspirate taken from you the other day. The levels of all cells and fluid is satisfactory so your bone marrow is acceptable for transplantation. We will have to schedule another appointment for you to come in for the final aspiration. You will be given some anesthetic. It is up to the doctor whether it's local or general. You will have to bring someone with you to see that you get home safely afterward." Reid said he understood and set up an appointment time. He then went in search of Gideon.

"Gideon, I need a favor." Reid said standing in the doorway of Gideon's office.

"Sure Reid, what can I do for you?"

"I need to take someone with me to the bone marrow aspiration tomorrow morning. They say it's to assure I get home safely. Would you mind?"

"No, I'll go, no problem."

"Thanks, I appreciate that." Reid went back to the conference room to finish analyzing the handwriting on the notes and write up his report.

Reid was relieved the next morning, as Gideon drove them to the medical centre, that they did not have a case, so the situation was not taking two members of the team away from something important.

While Reid was being prepared for the procedure he found out the doctor would be using local anesthesia. Reid was glad he wasn't being put under so he wouldn't come out of it groggy for the rest of the day. He also made sure the doctor was aware he was to receive no narcotics.

They started the procedure by having Reid lay on his abdomen and his right and left hips at the iliac crests were draped and aseptically prepared. He stopped himself from laughing out loud at the thought of what Morgan would say if he saw this. The doctor anesthetized the area and proceeded with the aspiration. He told Reid they would remove about one and a half quarts of marrow from his bones.

When they were done Reid was taken to a room to rest for a while and then told he was free to go. They told him he could expect a little back pain for the next three or four days. Reid was quite relieved, when he joined Gideon in the waiting room, to have the whole procedure finally completed. He only hoped that this would help Evan recover from his leukemia.

Gideon wanted to take Reid home but Reid was adamant that he was fine and he was going back to work. Gideon wasn't getting anywhere arguing with the young man so they headed back to Quantico.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan wasn't feeling very well. This was the second chemotherapy treatment and he was feeling sicker than ever. He had had a chemotherapy treatment the other day, then radiation and now chemotherapy again. Janice was sitting by his bedside when Dr. Folger came in to tell them that he just got word from Georgetown and the marrow had been extracted from the donor and was on its way here. Janice thanked God that William's son had come through for them and hoped that this was the answer to their prayers.

"Did you hear that baby," she touched Evan's forehead. "The doctor said they got the bone marrow from Spencer and it's on the way here. That's good news huh."

"Yeah Mom," Evan said, nodding.

"Dr. Folger, will we be able to do the transplant soon, he's so sick."

"Yes, the tests show that we have pretty much killed all the cells in his bone marrow so he will accept the new marrow. Now that we have done that however, he is at a greater risk for infection and has to be placed in isolation and put on high doses of antibiotics until the donor marrow engrafts and starts producing new cells for Evan. As a matter of fact I need to discuss the isolation with you Mrs. Reid if we could speak outside.' Janice followed the doctor out of the room telling Evan she would be back soon.

Evan hoped the marrow came soon and maybe he would feel better. He was glad that his brother had come through for him, even though he didn't even know him. He wondered if Spencer had got his letter yet. He hoped he got it since he didn't know exactly where to send it. He closed his eyes and saw the picture of the guy with brown hair wearing the FBI vest, he had seen on TV. "Thanks Spencer," he said before falling into blessed sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reid was sitting in the conference room, looking at some crime scene photos from a cold case. He did that sometimes and occasionally came up with something. He shifted in the chair. Oh yeah, they were definitely right about the back pain. That's why he was sitting here instead of in the bullpen, the chairs were softer. JJ came in carrying a cup of coffee and Garcia came in carrying two. "Hey sweetcheeks, I brought you a cup of coffee so you wouldn't have to get up, how's the back now?"

"Sore Garcia, thanks for the coffee."

"We thought we'd join you, how you doing with the cold case?"

"Haven't spotted anything new yet."

Morgan and Prentiss walked in the room carrying coffee cups as well. I guess the group is taking coffee break in here, Reid thought.

"Hey my man, how are you doing?" Morgan asked, sitting down next to his friend.

"I'm good Morgan and yes my back is sore but it's only for a few days they tell me."

"Oh I almost forgot" Emily said, "here" she handed Reid a bunch of envelopes. "Your mail was sitting on your desk so I brought it up for you."

"Thanks Emily." Reid started to look through the envelopes, until he came to one that was handwritten with no return address. It was addressed to Agent Spencer Reid C/O the BAU, FBI, Quantico, Va. He had to admit he was curious but agents had been sent dangerous letters with letter bombs or things like anthrax so he was leery about opening it especially since it had no return address.

"Did any of you guys get a letter like this," he asked?

They all looked at the envelope and said no, none of them had gotten anything like that. Morgan wondered, since there was no return address, if he should have it checked out before he opened it. After all, you never knew these days and he had been down in Guantanimo Bay during the interrogation of the terrorist. You couldn't be too careful, they stressed.

Reid considered it but that meant a trip down to questioned documents and his back was really sore right now and he didn't have the energy. Maybe he'd leave it and take it down to them in the morning; he'd probably be feeling better by then. Yes that's what he'd do. He put the letter aside until he could take it to QD in the morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds**

**A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed and thanks again to mablereid for all her support**

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid was feeling somewhat better as the sun shone brightly during his ride to work the next morning. There was still some pain but it had lessened and with the addition of some Tylenol it was hardly noticeable.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan was feeling worse than he ever had. The combination of the chemotherapy and radiation in such close succession on top of his already weakened condition left him totally drained and in constant pain it seemed. The nausea was unending and he wondered how he found the strength to throw up but he did.

The situation had been made even worse because he'd been moved into isolation and everyone who came into contact with him had to wear a gown, mask and gloves. He didn't even get to see a friendly face, he thought to himself.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She had the friendliest face he'd ever seen, Reid thought as he walked into QD and smack dab into Allie Graham. Allie was a perky little brunette, who had just recently come to the FBI after graduating with a science degree from Stanford. He'd seen her around a few times but they hadn't talked much. "Hi Dr. Reid," she smiled a sparkling smile that went all the way to her twinkling eyes.

Allie thought Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. She'd asked all the girls about him at breaks but they said they didn't know him very well and he didn't go out much that they could see. How could all the girls in this place not be after him she thought? Are they nuts!

"Uh, hi Allie, uh I got this letter yesterday; it has no return address, it's probably nothing but you can't be too careful."

"Oh, of course Dr. Reid, I'll get on it right now."

"There's no rush if you're busy."

"Oh I'm never too busy for you….guys in the BAU."

"Thanks Allie."

"Do you want me to call you?"

"Yes please."

"Are you going to be in the office all day?"

"I don't know, why?"

"Well if you're going to be out, maybe I should have your cell number." She paused, then added, "To call you about the letter."

He gave her his cell number which she diligently wrote down on a pad. He said he'd see her later and exited the QD lab. After he left she ripped the paper off the pad, folded it and put it in her pocket. She was saving that puppy for future reference.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hi Spence, how are you feeling this morning," JJ asked, coming into the bullpen.

"Oh hi JJ, much improved, thanks."

"The back's better," Emily inquired.

"Yeah, I took some Tylenol and it's almost like the pain's not there at all."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hi Honey, how are you feeling this morning," Janice asked coming into the room, gowned, gloved and masked to protect Evan from the unseen enemy.

"Oh hi Mom, worse than ever."

"Is it the nausea, Sweetheart," she said, taking his hand in hers.

"Yeah, they gave me some Kytril for it but the pain is bad too. The nurse went to get me something."

The nurse came in a few minutes later with medication in a syringe that she injected into Evan's IV port. "There, you should feel better after the Dilaudid takes effect."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Allie went to work on the letter right after Reid left. She had it scanned. Nothing. She went to the fume hood, outfitted for her protection and proceeded to open the envelope. Nothing. She swabbed the inside of the envelope and was swabbing the letter when some of the words drew her attention. Tears started to form in her eyes. Oh my God, she thought. She had no idea. That poor boy. "Oh Spencer." Oh my God, she thought again, she wasn't supposed to be reading this. Well, she would never tell him. She'd just tell him that the letter was clean. She went to the ladies room, dried her tears and called Spencer.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JJ was showing them pictures in a new case, a series of rape/murders on the campus of an Ohio university. They were brutal and gory and the unsub had been sadistic in his treatment of the women. They were discussing possible psychological motives for the crime, when Reid's cell phone rang. He quickly answered it almost whispering, "Reid."

"Oh hi, Dr. Reid, it's Allie in QD. I've gone over your letter and there's no danger, it's clean."

"Thanks Allie," Reid said, continuing to whisper. "I'll be down to get it a little later."

"What are you whispering about my man," Morgan said. "Making a date with a girlfriend."

"No that was QD. The letter I got yesterday was clean."

JJ carried on with the presentation and they were told by Hotch, it would be wheels up in an hour. Reid went to get his ready bag and then headed down to QD to get his letter. He walked in and Allie came over to him right away. "Hi Dr. Reid, I have your letter for you here," she pulled out a drawer and handed him the envelope with the letter inside. "Special Delivery," she said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan had eventually fallen asleep and Janice had taken the chance to go out and do some errands so she could be with him when he woke up. Two nurses came into the room with an IV bag and some tubing. They approached Evan and started checking his name band and other things. Evan awoke while this was going on. "What are you doing," he said groggily.

The nurses responded that the bone marrow had arrived and was ready to be given to him. Evan looked at the IV bag. It looked so ordinary. How could it contain the answer to his life or death? He reached out and touched the bag. He was surprised it was cold. That was what they had taken out of Spencer he thought. That was part of my brother. Soon it will be part of me. He watched in silence as the nurses hung the bag on the IV pole and hooked up the tubing. "There you go little man," one of them said. "Special Delivery."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reid traipsed up to the plane with the others for another trip to another city to hopefully catch yet another unsub. He settled in his seat and got prepared for takeoff. He was looking out the window after takeoff as the plane climbed into the clouds. He looked at the winding river flowing below like a huge snake. He'd never noticed that before.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan watched as the nurse started the fluid flowing. He watched as it entered the tubing and meandered down toward his body. It looked like a long skinny snake, he thought. He kept watching the fluid slowly inch its way to him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reid had almost forgotten and reached for his messenger bag to retrieve the letter that Allie had examined this morning. He grabbed it and pulled it out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan could see the bone marrow getting closer to the central line imbedded in his chest. He found he couldn't take his eyes off it as it neared. Finally it traveled the last few inches and he saw it reach his chest. Now he and his brother, Spencer, were joined.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spencer took the letter out of the envelope and started to unfold it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds**

**A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid took the letter out of the envelope and started to unfold it.

_**Dear Spencer,**_

_**I know you don't know me; I'm your brother Evan. Well I guess we're only half-brothers but that's okay with me. I hope it's okay with you. There's so much I want to say to you. I know you already know that I have leukemia and I know my dad asked you to donate bone marrow to me and you are. When I was little and someone would give me a present, my mom would always make me write a thank you note. I always thought it was dumb but she made me do it anyway. Funny, it was easier to say thank you for the sweater or the baseball bat or the computer game than it is to say thank you for giving me your bone marrow and maybe saving my life. It's harder to say thanks for that, but thanks anyway.**_

_**I'm thirteen years old. I like to read and I read a lot; mostly because I'm too weak to be outside doing things with my friends. I do a lot of stuff on the computer too. I know that you are in the FBI. That's so cool. I saw you on TV the other day. My mom told me you were in the BAU and I was watching TV and a news clip came on saying the BAU helped catch a lady in Denver that killed some little kids. They showed a picture of the lady going into the police station and I saw you guys behind her. I knew who you were because you look a lot like me only older. Well you have hair too. I don't have any hair now. Maybe I will if I get better with your bone marrow. I would have sent you a picture but we haven't taken any for a long time because I don't like pictures of me bald.**_

_**I asked my mom if I would get to meet you sometime but she said probably not because you and dad don't get along very well. I know how you feel; nobody gets along very well with dad. I still hope I can meet you sometime, even if I have to wait till I'm grown and dad doesn't have anything to say about it. At least I have some hope now that I will grow up. I didn't have that before. After everything they tried failed, the doctors told mom and dad that if I didn't get a bone marrow donor, I would die. Maybe I won't now because of you. I hope it's okay that I wrote to you, I'll put my email address at the bottom of the page and if you want to email me you can. It's password protected so there's no chance of my parents seeing it. If you don't, then I'll know that you don't want to keep in touch with me and I'll understand but I would still like to meet you someday just to say thanks for what you did for me. That's all for now I guess. I'll hide this in the outgoing mail and I hope you get it. Be careful when you meet up with the bad guys.**_

_**Love your brother,**_

_**Evan**_

Gideon looked up from the crime scene photos he was examining to see tears falling down Reid's face. He leaned over and touched Reid's arm, "Reid, what's wrong?" He got no reply so he squeezed Reid's arm with his hand. "Spencer, what's wrong?" The others were now alerted by the tone of Gideon's voice and looked over at Reid and his mentor.

Hotch even got out of his seat. "Gideon, what…" Gideon held up his hand. Reid looked at Gideon and then at the others, all staring at him. He wordlessly handed the letter to Gideon and nodded.

Gideon read the letter and found himself blinking a few times. He had to keep the reins on his own emotions, Spencer needed him now. He looked at Reid and gestured with the letter to the others. Reid nodded; they were his family, after all. Gideon handed the letter to Hotch. Hotch's perpetual sternness appeared to soften as he read the letter and passed it to the rest of the team. JJ made no attempt to hold her emotions in check and cried openly as she read Evan's words to his brother. Even tough as nails Morgan and hard to the core Emily's composure started to slip seeing this poor boy's heart poured out on a piece of paper.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Janice entered Evan's room, finding him sitting up in bed with a tiny smile on his face. "You look better, Honey, are you feeling better?"

"Not really, the pain's eased a bit but the nausea is still pretty bad."

"Then why is this kid smiling," his mother wanted to know.

Evan looked slowly up at the bone marrow infusing into his body and said with a grin, "Spencer is in the building."

She jumped up, looking at the bag and the label, "Oh my God, baby, really."

Evan nodded, smiling at his mother's excitement.

"Oh my God, that is such good news, how do you feel, I mean, how does it feel? Do you feel any different?"

"I'm feeling okay; the nurses keep coming in to check my vital signs. They seem happy so they must be okay."

"So there's no reaction, that's a good sign, right."

"Yeah, mom that's a good sign."

"Wait till I tell your father."

"I don't think he'll be as thrilled as you are. I think he'd like to forget this is even happening. I mean, he's not even here is he? What's the deal with him and Spencer anyway Mom?"

"Things didn't work out with your dad and Spencer's mom, so your dad left and I guess there's some resentment to your dad on Spencer's part."

"Why does dad always say he's a freak?"

"His mother has some kind of mental problems and it's possibly hereditary and Spencer is some kind of genius or something, graduated high school when he was around your age. Anyway, let's not talk about that now," Janice said. "Wait till you see the new CD's I got for you. You'll love them," she brought a bag from beside the bed.

Evan wondered why no one would talk to him about Spencer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sorry guys," Reid said wiping the tears from his face. "I didn't mean to do that but that letter kind of caught me off guard."

"Reid it's okay, you have every right to react that way. It was a very moving letter." Gideon patted Reid on the back and JJ nodded still trying to dry her own tears.

"See," she said, "Now you've got me bawling too."

"Sorry JJ, I…"

"Spence, will you quit saying you're sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for. Okay!"

"Suddenly I feel one hundred percent better, I know I did the right thing and any discomfort I feel is so miniscule compared to what Evan is going through. Emily can you hand me my laptop? I have an email to send."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Still do not own Criminal Minds, **

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Hey Spencer,**

**So what's new? Haven't heard from you in a few days. Is that Morgan guy still stomping on the unsubs (did I get that word right)? I've been looking on some joke sites and I'm trying to find a really good one to make that Hotch guy laugh. You should see some of these jokes. Well all my signs and my blood work keep getting better but they're still making me stay on isolation. Mom is still here most of the time but Dad hardly ever comes. It must be nice to have somebody like that Gideon guy there for you instead of Dad. I bet he's nicer than Dad. Anyway, I sure like the emails I get from you. They keep me from going stir crazy in here. Oh here comes Mom, talk to you soon. Bye Evan**

"Another email from the kid, how's he doing anyway," Morgan sat down next to Reid in the conference room.

"He seems to be doing okay so far, it's apparently still too soon to tell if the transplant is going to help but he says he's feeling better. He wants to know if you're still stomping on the unsubs and he's scouring the net for the perfect joke to make Hotch laugh."

"So," Garcia stated, "I take it from that, that you've told him all about us. So what did you say about me?"

"Why Garcia, that would be telling."

"Okay, when will they know if this transplant takes or not, I mean, it's been, what, three weeks already," Emily asked curiously?

"It takes about six weeks for the marrow to start producing new cells for Evan and until they do, he's at a great risk for infection and that's why they have to keep him isolated. But at least he's not reacting, so that means that so far his body is accepting my marrow as its own and that is a good thing."

Hotch and Gideon entered the conference room, hearing the conversation, Gideon said, "So I take it your little brother is doing as well as can be expected then."

"Apparently so."

There was no case today so the team returned to the bullpen after the discussion in the conference room and while attempting to concentrate on the dreaded paperwork, Reid's cell phone rang. "Reid."

"Hi, Dr. Reid, uh, Spencer," the female voice said. "This is Allie Graham from QD, I was wondering if, I mean, I just had a birthday recently and my parents gave me two tickets to a concert of one of my favorite singers and I wondered if you would like to go with me," she completed in one breath. "I mean, if you don't have other plans like another date or something."

"Wow, uh that's really nice of you, I don't have any plans so far, when is it for, I mean we pick up and go at a moment's notice so if I said I would then I couldn't, I hope you would understand."

"It's for tonight."

"Tonight," his voice came out in a high pitched squeak.

"I'm sorry; it's really short notice isn't it?"

Garcia and JJ had been talking outside Garcia's door when they heard Reid's squeak and they along with Emily and Morgan suddenly became very interested in Reid's conversation.

"No, that's okay, I don't have any plans."

"Oh, that's good. Would 7 o'clock be okay then?"

"Yeah, uh, seven would be fine."

Hotch and Gideon had just walked into the bullpen; Morgan put a finger to his lips and pointed at Reid.

"Okay, let me write that down, oh I, just a minute, I can't find a pen." Six pens instantly appeared from his team members. He wrote down the address and said, "Okay, I'll see you later then. Bye."

He glanced up after ending the phone call to find six expectant faces looking at him. "That was Allie Graham from QD, she got some concert tickets for her birthday and asked me, of all people, if I would like to go with her; that was nice of her."

"Ooh hoo, my man has got hisself a date."

"Well, it's not really a date, Morgan, she just needs someone to go to the concert with her, you know like a friend." He looked up at his teammates and saw all six shaking their heads.

They said in unison, "It's a date."

"A date, really, oh boy, I don't do so well on dates, not that I've been on any really; well there was that time at the Redskins game JJ so you know what a disaster I am on a date. Oh dear, maybe I can say we have a case. Are you sure we don't have a case JJ, Hotch?"

"Reid, do you like this girl," Gideon asked looking upward as if for guidance.

"Oh yeah, she's very nice, very friendly. She seems to have quite a sweet disposition."

"Then why are you trying to find a way not to go out with her," Hotch wanted to know?

"It's not that, it's just that this dating thing, I'm not good at it and I don't want to spoil her evening seeing one of her favorite singers because I'm a dating dud."

Gideon put his hand on the young agent's shoulder and said, "Okay, Reid, listen, everybody here," he indicated the rest of the team, "went through the learning experience of dating. We all struggled with our first date, asking the first girl out or accepting the first date from a boy. We all debated, do I kiss her or don't I, do I hold her hand or not. The girls debated whether to let any of the guys get away with these things. The only thing that's different is we all did this when we were teenagers in high school. Your circumstances were such that you didn't have that option so what the rest of us have already been through as a growing experience, you're just learning and that's okay. Any girl who cares for you will understand this and put up with your insecurities until you gain some confidence. You can't put off dating forever because you think you'll make mistakes. You'll miss a big wonderful part of life. Okay?"

Reid nodded his head, saying to himself, okay, I'm going on a date!


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds. I only own my own characters**

"Come to my inner sanctum now, it's important," Garcia hung up the phone. A couple of minutes later, Emily walked in followed shortly thereafter by JJ.

"What's up Garcia," Emily asked, confused.

"Okay you guys, I did some checking. I just looked up a little bit about Allie Graham, you know, just to see." The other two nodded.

"So don't keep us in suspense," JJ uttered in frustration, "What did you come up with; you said it was important."

"Well, I mean, she's totally okay, not an axe murderer or anything, at least not that I could find."

"Garcia," Emily said, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Okay, okay, she told Reid that her parents gave her those concert tickets for her birthday. Well I don't think they sell concert tickets that far in advance because Allie's birthday was eight months ago."

"So she bought the tickets to have a reason to ask Reid to go out with her. That's what I would do," Emily stated matter of factly.

"I know but she's playing with our Reid and he is so innocent that he won't see through that and he might get upset if he finds out she lied to him and he's been had. Do you think we should have coffee with Allie and have a little talk with her about how she treats our boy?"

"Let's just leave it for now and see what happens." JJ considered, "If anything develops we might need to have a women to woman talk with her and let her know that we look out for Spence."

"I'm still going to keep an eye on her. We almost lost our sweet boy once and I am not going to have some girl dallying with his affections, and hurt him."

"Garcia, you're worse than a Jewish mother," Emily remarked.

"Only when it comes to my Reid and I make no excuses."

Reid and Morgan had also been busy. Reid didn't know what he should wear. Should he wear a suit or something like he wore here or should he be more casual? "Come on Morgan, you date all the time, help me out here."

"You and I my man are going shopping." They left at lunch and returned a little late but Morgan seemed satisfied that Reid would look perfect on his date with Allie.

When the late afternoon rolled around Morgan sent Reid down to the locker room to get ready for the evening. Reid returned a while later and the ladies all agreed that Reid and Morgan had made a wonderful choice. Reid looked fantastic in black pants, a gray turtleneck and a black suit style leather jacket. "Oh honey, you look drop dead gorgeous in that. Little Miss Allie is going to go gaga over you." Garcia gave the lapels of his jacket a little tug.

"Okay, I guess I'll see you all tomorrow." Reid said as he headed for the elevator; he looked more like a man that was headed for the gallows but the team had done all they could, the rest was in his hands.

Reid arrived at Allie's apartment building at the appointed time. He was standing in the security entrance looking at the buzzers for the various apartments. His hands were shaking and sweaty. He rubbed them down his pant legs as he contemplated pushing the button for Allie's apartment. _I'm a complete wreck; how do guys do this all the time? Why did I ever agree to this?_ He considered turning around and hightailing it out of there but Allie would be disappointed and he knew he would never live it down with the team. _Remember_, _Gideon told you they all went through this and came out unscathed. Just push the button for God's sake._ A shaking finger snaked forward until it finally came in contact with the buzzer; there was no turning back now.

A cheery voice came over the intercom, "Hi."

"Uh, hi Allie, it's Re… Spencer, it's Spencer."

Allie was literally jumping for joy. _Oh my God, he's here. He's actually downstairs._ She stopped in front of her intercom and took a moment to calm her voice. "Oh hi Spencer, why don't you come up, I'll buzz you in."

When Allie answered the door Reid thought it must be the night for leather as she was wearing a dress of black suede with matching boots. She looked stunning. She'd fixed her short hair into a funky style and she smiled her ever endearing smile at him as he stood in her doorway.

Spencer was speechless. Allie, fortunately, was not. "Hi Spencer, I'm so glad you were able to come tonight, I hope you didn't mind that it was such short notice," she said holding the door open for him to enter. As he walked past her into the room she thought, _Oh my God, he looks spectacular!_

"Uh, no, that's okay Allie; I didn't have any plans so it worked out nicely." He stared at her, she was truly beautiful. Her dark hair framed her lovely face, her eyes twinkled, and little dimples appeared in her cheeks when she smiled, which was often. _I should say something about how nice she looks, shouldn't I, what should I say? _ "Uh, you look really nice tonight, well I mean you always look nice, but I mean uh that's a nice dress and your hair and everything is really pretty. _Oh shut up already, that was really original!_

"Thanks, you look great yourself. I'll just get my purse and we can go." She collected her bag and they headed out for the concert. Reid decided he was glad they were going to a concert. He realized he didn't even know who he was going to listen to and he also realized he didn't care, at least, he thought, he could just sit there and listen to the music and he wouldn't be expected to be cool and witty.

Allie told him on the way to the concert hall, that they were going to see Josh Groban, which pleased Reid immensely as he totally enjoyed the singer's music. Allie was pleased as well since she was concerned that Reid might not like that kind of music, but it appeared she had worried for nothing. The seats were good and they settled in to enjoy the performance.

Reid did enjoy the performance although his stomach kept churning the whole time. He was looking at other couples around him. Some guys had their arms around their girlfriends, others held hands. He wondered if Allie expected or even wanted him to do one of those things. He moved his arm a couple of times not sure what he should do and she would turn and look at him and smile which stopped him dead.

At the intermission, they went out with the crowd and Reid offered to get Allie some refreshment, but she said she was fine and maybe they could just talk. Sure, Reid agreed and sat down. "So Dr. Reid, what kind of doctor are you?"

"I have three doctorates actually, one in engineering, one in mathematics and one in chemistry."

"Wow, those are pretty heavy duty subjects. I have a degree in science but quantum physics was always over my head. I took it because I had to and passed by the skin of my teeth."

"A lot of people have trouble with quantum physics it seems."

"Not you I take it?"

"No, I got through it pretty easily, but I have a bit of an advantage over most other people and I realize that."

"You mean because you're a genius?"

Reid nodded.

"Oh, it's time to go back in;" they got back to their seats just as the lights went down.

Reid enjoyed the concert, and it appeared that Allie did as well. Reid heaved a sigh, at least that part had worked out but when the concert ended his insecurities bombarded him once again,_ okay, what do I do now? Food, food was always good, right!_

"Uh, would you like to go get something to eat?"

"A quick bite would be nice."

They found a little eatery near the concert hall and ordered some food. Allie did most of the talking, asking Reid questions which he answered readily enough but did not initiate much conversation on his own. Allie said, after they'd eaten, that it was getting late and she had to work in the morning and Reid proceeded to take her home.

At her door she said "Thank you for coming to the concert with me, it was very enjoyable."

"Thank you for asking me, I had a good time too."

"Really, I thought maybe you didn't enjoy it because you didn't say very much."

"I'm sorry about that. It had nothing to do with you. You are wonderful company. Okay, the thing is," he paused as his eyes found the floor then continued, " I've uh only ever been on one date and it was a disaster and I was so nervous but I don't want you to think I didn't enjoy the evening because I did, I just..." He paused again and looked at her for a moment and to his total shock and amazement he said, "Would you mind if I kissed you?"

Allie looked up at him and whispered, "I certainly wish you would."

Reid's lips met hers in a warm and gentle kiss that took her breath away. She returned his kiss eagerly, although she tried to stem her enthusiasm just a little.

"Next time, I'll take you somewhere, okay." Allie nodded breathlessly. "Good night Allie."

"Good night Spencer." She entered her apartment, closed the door and leaned against it smiling, "Next time!"


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Usual disclaimers apply. Thanks to all those who read and reviewed**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid arrived at the BAU the next morning to find Morgan already at his desk. "Morning Morgan."

"Morning Morgan, you go out on a date with a cute girl from QD and all you say the next day is morning Morgan. How was it man?"

"Well, I might as well wait to tell you because here comes Garcia."

Garcia came rushing up to Reid. "Hi Sweet Pea, how was the date last night with Allie?"

"It was fine."

"Reid, my man, you gotta give us more than "it was fine."

JJ and Emily stepped off the elevator together, spotted Reid, and made a beeline for him.

"Before you ask," Garcia said, "It was fine."

"That's it," JJ grimaced, "That's all we get. It was fine."

Hotch and Gideon entered the bullpen, and seeing Reid, Gideon started, "So how was…"

"It was fine," Morgan, Garcia, Emily and JJ said together.

"Okay then," Hotch said turning to go to his office.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Janice entered Evan's room loaded down with bags from which she pulled books and video games. "Mom, I don't want any more, look how many I have already."

"Well that's true, you don't seem to be reading or playing them. All you do is spend time on that computer. What are you looking at on there all the time?"

"Nothing Mom just jokes, some games and stuff." He hoped she believed him. She couldn't find out about his emails from Spencer. He'd saved them all and read them over and over. "So where's Dad today? What's today's excuse for why he doesn't come to see me?"

"Evan Honey, your Dad is a busy man. He's got classes and grading papers and tests. He's on a few committees. You know that."

"Oh yeah, I know that Mom, but he should still be able to come and see me when I'm stuck in the hospital. I mean, he went all the way to Quantico to get Spencer to give me his bone marrow and now he doesn't seem to care if it takes or not. Oh never mind, who cares if he comes to see me anyway?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hi Allie, how are you today?"

"Oh, hi Larry, I'm great, how are you," she offered the Quantico security guard one of her sparkling smiles.

"Is it your birthday today or something," he inquired?

"No," she laughed, "why would you ask that?"

"Well, if it's not your birthday, then you, lovely lady, have an admirer." He pulled out the arm he had been hiding behind the wall in the doorway, displaying an exquisite glass vase bearing a beautiful bouquet of roses, lightly speckled with baby's breath. "These were delivered this morning. Don't worry, they've been checked out."

Allie's eyes widened, looking at the beautiful flowers, she ran over and took them from Larry, taking in their fragrant beauty. "Oh, my goodness, isn't this lovely, thank you Larry for bringing them up to me."

"You're welcome Allie, have a good day."

"Thanks again Larry," Allie put the vase on her desk and took out the card and opened it.

_A thing of beauty is a joy forever_

_John Keats_

_Like these flowers,_

_You truly are a thing of beauty,_

_Thank you for a lovely evening._

_See you soon,_

_S.R._

Allie fingered the rose petals as she held the card close to her chest. Yes, she thought, it was going to be a very good day.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan was asleep. Just my luck, William thought, the kid bitches and complains that I don't come and see him and when I do come he's sleeping. He was sitting in one of the chairs in the room. Janice had called, irate as usual, that he hadn't been to visit Evan and the boy was wondering where his Dad was. Evan was sleeping when he had arrived and he was prepared to leave but Janice went ballistic and said he could sit there until his son woke up and at least talk to him. So here he was garbed in this damn gown, gloves and a mask. What a bloody inconvenience. His cell phone vibrated. "Hello," he said, "Oh hi, well I really can't talk now. I'm here with the kid. He's sleeping, go figure. I thought I told you never to call me here. What if Janice had been here, when isn't she for God's sake. I'll stay for a little while longer. What is it about my sons? Why can't I get normal sons? My first is this intellectual freak, who may end up being crazy. Nobody better expect me to look after him when he goes schizo. Now this one ends up with leukemia. Am I cursed or what? Anyway, I'll talk to you later, baby, after I get away from the kid. We'll get together later; Janice is here all the bloody time so she won't care. Maybe you can practice some new moves on me. See ya later, babe, bye." He ended the call and returned the phone to his pocket. It didn't look like Evan was waking up so he wasn't going to waste any more time here, considering who was waiting for him out there. He got up, went to the door and left.

Evan opened his eyes. Had he heard his father correctly? Yes, he was sure he had. Who was his father talking to, calling baby? And what he had said about him and Spencer. Evan shut his eyes tight as if it could shut out the things he had just heard. As he closed his eyes, the tears that had been hiding there rolled down his cheeks, slowly at first, then faster until they were coming unchecked in a steady stream. He started to sob uncontrollably, his breathing hitched and he covered his head with his blankets and remained like that for quite some time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, you guys, listen to this," Garcia had JJ and Emily in her office.

"What, Garcia," JJ waved her arms trying to hurry along whatever Garcia had to tell them.

"I went to the cafeteria to get a sandwich and I'm in line behind a couple of lab techs, one of them is guess who? Little Miss Allie, that's who. So anyway the girl with her, Angela, I think her name is says, "So who did you get the roses from?" Allie says she'll never tell. Then this Angela says something about poetry on the card and the initials SR. Who do we know who knows Allie, knows poetry and has the initials SR."

Emily's mouth dropped open. "He sent her flowers with poetry. Oh maybe Reid doesn't need as much help as we think or he's a fast learner. Did I just say that, the guy's a genius, of course he's a fast learner. Hmm, this could be interesting guys. Did you tell Morgan yet?"

"No, I wanted to tell you guys first. He'll really give him the gears won't he?"

"Are you rethinking it now?" JJ asked.

"Hell no, I want a front row seat, this could be fun!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Evan was lying on his bed, his eyes staring straight ahead. His TV was on but he was paying no attention to the images on the screen. He could not forget the words his father had spoken to some woman on the phone. It sounded like his father hated him and his brother or just didn't care whether they lived or died because they were, in some way, not good enough for him. He had to snap out of it. Mom would be here soon. He couldn't let her see he was upset. He couldn't talk to her about this. He didn't have anybody he could talk to; he'd never felt so alone. He looked over to the bedside table and saw his laptop. Spencer, he would know what to do. Should he tell Spencer what Dad had said about him?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, my man, Mr. Cass-o-no-va!"

"Morgan, what are you talking about?"

"You dude, sending a girl flowers and poetry."

"How did you find… Garcia!" He turned to his friend sitting in the conference room. "What, are you tracking my credit card now?"

Garcia, putting an innocent expression on her face, replied, "Who me! I would never do that to you boy wonder." She started singing the words to an old song, "I heard it through the grapevine."

"Grapevine," Reid squeaked! "What did you hear through the grapevine?" Reid looked at his teammates seated around the conference table.

"Just that you sent the girl some flowers and the card had some poetry on it," JJ informed him.

Even Hotch and Gideon appeared to find the situation amusing as they grinned behind their hands.

"All right, ha ha, laugh it up." Reid sat in his chair, looking at the floor, totally embarrassed that he had become the subject of the grapevine. To keep himself busy and to avoid the interest of his teammates, he took out his laptop and looked at his email. There was an email from Evan, he noticed. He opened it and Spencer forgot about the grapevine. He forgot about his teammates. His eyes widened more with every sentence of what Evan had heard their father say on the phone when he thought his younger son was sleeping.

"Reid, what's wrong," Emily asked from across the table.

Reid didn't answer at first; he was still trying to fathom what Evan must have felt hearing his father on the phone. The others were all looking at him now, concern showing on their faces.

"It's an email from Evan. Apparently dear old dad was in his hospital room talking to someone on the phone when he thought Evan was sleeping. He was calling this person "Baby" and lamenting about how he didn't have normal sons and he must be cursed. Evan says he said no one better expect him to take care of me when I turn schizo. He also said that this baby could "try some new moves on him". Evan wants to know if he should tell his Mom."

"He's doing it again. Damn him! He's hurting another family, another wife and child because he's too weak to stand by them when the going gets tough. He left us when my mother got sick and he's going to leave them when Evan's sick."

"You don't know that for sure," Hotch interjected.

"It looks like he's already left his wife's bed to go to another woman. I never knew for sure if he was unfaithful to my mother but I always suspected as much."

"He doesn't have to worry about me if I ever turn schizo as he puts it. I've already made provisions for my care and Gideon has agreed to take on the responsibility should the need arise."

"What are you going to tell the boy," Gideon asked?

"I don't know yet, I have to think of just the right thing to say to him. I don't want him to feel any guilt about what happens. None of this is his fault although Dad will try to make it seem like it is, he was always that way; the whole world was a conspiracy against him and nothing that happened to him was ever his fault."

The team finished with the briefing on their latest case and headed out to get ready to leave for Boston. Reid was still contemplating how he would respond to Evan, giving the boy the answers and support he needed.

Once on the plane and assignments had been given for their arrival in Boston, Reid settled down to again give thought to what to say to his little brother. Finally, when he thought he had the words, he took out his laptop and started typing out a message.

**Hi Evan,**

**I got your email. I'm sorry that you had to hear what Dad said. I know from experience what it's like to feel unloved by Dad. I'm glad you told me what you heard. It would be wrong to keep it inside. You have to share the things that hurt you with the ones you love. I have learned that the people who truly love you want you to share your troubles and fears with them. They don't look on it as a burden because they want to help make things better for you. That's why I think you should tell your Mom. Don't worry about what might happen after you tell her. None of that is your doing. You need to concentrate all your energy on getting better, getting stronger. I'm always here at the end of your send button to bounce ideas or thoughts off of, to rant and rave if you need to. Don't hesitate to email me. Let me know what happens with your parents and don't let what Dad said get you down, as I said, none of that is your doing. **

**Spencer**

Reid pressed the send button and hoped that Evan was strong enough for the challenge ahead of him. He closed his laptop and prepared for descent into Boston and the search for another serial killer.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Don't own Criminal Minds**

**A/N: Thanks to all who read and take the time to review**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Evan checked his email and found a reply from Spencer. How was he going to tell his Mom about this he thought? He didn't really want to think about it. He still wasn't feeling all that well and he just wanted to sleep. He put his computer aside and laid his head down for a nap.

Janice arrived to find Evan sleeping. She sat down beside him and decided to wait until he woke up. She leafed through a magazine while she waited. Evan was certainly having a good sleep. She was glad. He had been so sick and with so much pain and nausea that sleep had been almost impossible. She reached for his hand atop the covers and jumped. The hand was burning hot. She could feel the heat even through the latex gloves she wore. She felt his forehead. It too was hot. Janice rang the bell for the nurse. It always took a few moments because the nurse had to stop to gown, mask and glove before entering the room.

When the nurse came in she saw Janice calling Evan's name, trying to wake him. The child did not appear to be rousing. She ran over to the bed. Janice said, "He's burning up and I can't wake him." The nurse attempted to wake Evan with no success. She took his temperature, it was 104.6. She ran to the door and yelled to one of the other nurses to get Dr. Folger right away. A second nurse entered, garbed like the other and took Evan's vital signs. He was given some acetaminophen in an attempt to reduce his temperature.

Janice asked, "What's happening, what's wrong with him? He was fine the last time I was here."

"Mrs. Reid, Evan has apparently spiked a temp," one of the nurses said. "We'll have to do some tests to determine why."

Dr. Folger arrived, examined Evan and started yelling out orders. "CBC, lytes, BUN, creatinine, blood sugar, portable chest, blood cultures times two, urine for C&S, and throat swabs stat! Run an IV of D51/2 normal saline at 100cc/hour. Vancomycin 1 gram IV stat. Oxygen at 2 litres by nasal prongs and insert a foley catheter. Dr. Folger came over to Janice saying, "Mrs. Reid, why don't we go out in the hallway and let the nurses and techs do their work."

"Dr. Folger, what happened," Janice wanted to know when they left the room. She removed her mask and gloves. "He seemed to be feeling a little better."

"It appears that he developed an infection, we won't know the strain until the cultures are done and the sensitivities are back. I have started him on a very strong broad spectrum antibiotic which should fight almost any bacteria. We'll get all the tests done, try and bring his temp down and wait for the drugs to take effect."

Janice walked down the hall to the phone and dialed William's number. He answered on the third ring. "William, something's happened. Evan has a very high temperature, I couldn't wake him up. They're doing all kinds of tests on him. You have to get down here, he's really sick. Hurry!" She hung up and headed back to her son's room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The BAU team had just arrived home from Boston where they had caught the sadistic killer who had been murdering prostitutes. They had gone back to Quantico to get caught up on some of the paperwork that had been piling up.

Reid had been checking his email but so far nothing from Evan. He wondered if Evan had told his mother about the phone conversation he had overheard. Either way he thought he would have heard from him by now.

"Hi," a cheery voice said behind him. He turned to find Allie standing there.

"Oh hi," Reid responded.

"I, uh, didn't get to thank you the other day for the lovely flowers."

"Oh, you're welcome, I hope you liked them," he said absentmindedly.

"Yes, they were beautiful." _What's wrong with him, he's not talking at all._ "I guess you have a lot of work to do. I'll talk to you another time." She turned and headed for the elevator to go back to QD. As the doors opened, someone touched her arm and she turned to see Reid standing there.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I was a little preoccupied. I'm worried about my brother."

"You mean the one from the letter," she gasped sharply realizing what she had said. "I didn't mean to read it but some words caught my eye while I was examining it and I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry; I ended up reading about the plight of that poor boy. It was a wonderful thing you did for him. How is he doing?"

"That's what's bothering me. We've been emailing each other and I haven't heard from him in a couple of days. I've sent him some emails but he hasn't responded which is not like him and I'm worried."

"Maybe he's just bored; you know how kids that age are."

"I hope that's all it is," he said but didn't sound convinced.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan's temperature had come down a little but was still elevated. All the tests had been done and they were waiting for the results. William Reid paced the room while Janice sat next to the sleeping boy and held his hand. "I knew this would happen," he yelled at his wife. "I didn't want Spencer or any part of his body, bone marrow included, near this boy but oh no, you insisted I had to go down to Quantico and beg for his bone marrow and look what happens."

"Please don't yell William. The doctor said we had to try this. It was our last hope."

"Yeah, well we tried and look where it got us but you wouldn't listen to me would you. Hell no! And now look where we are, Spencer is killing our boy!"


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Usual disclaimer applies. Thanks to all who read and reviewed**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid was sitting at his desk, staring into space when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to find Gideon at his side. "Any word from the boy?"

"No Gideon, and I'm really starting to get worried. Allie said maybe he was just bored but I don't think that's the case. Every instinct I have tells me something is wrong. I wonder if something happened when he told his Mom about the conversation he overheard. Maybe there's some big war going on there now and that's the last thing the poor kid needs. Was I wrong to tell him to talk to his Mom? Perhaps I encouraged him to talk to her so quickly because he can. What if my own experiences colored my judgment and because I wish so badly that I could talk to my Mom, I pushed him to do something he shouldn't?"

"You care a lot about this boy, don't you?" Gideon sat in the empty chair of the desk next to Reid. He could see the concern in Reid's expression and hear it in his voice. He marveled that after all that had happened to him in his, as yet, young life; he still had such a capacity to care about others.

"Yeah, do you notice the big 'S' on my forehead," Reid responded sarcastically.

"No, I see a man, who doesn't need to act macho or talk big to prove that he is tough. You wear your strength like one of your sweater vests; it's a part of you. You live it and you don't feel the need to do something like refuse to help this boy, to not appear weak. You took on the care of your mother after your father left and you handled it all alone. Now you are taking on a responsibility for this boy and no one in the world would question if you didn't, but your moral code won't allow that, and instead of appearing weak for helping the son of the man that hurt you, you are the stronger and much bigger man for doing what you feel is right."

"Thanks Gideon."

"No problem, try to relax a little and don't beat yourself up about this when there's nothing you can do. Get some rest, okay."

Reid nodded, "I'll try Gideon, and I'll see you in the morning." He got up, put his laptop in his messenger bag and headed out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Janice awoke with a very stiff neck from sleeping beside Evan's bed all night. William was dozing in the armchair. Evan's hand, which she still held in hers, felt cooler this morning. Janice looked at her son, "Evan," she said touching his forehead. His eyes fluttered open.

"Mom," he said groggily.

"Hi, sweetheart, how are you this morning? You had quite a little setback."

"I feel really tired. What happened?"

"You had a very high temperature and the doctor had to put you on a really strong antibiotic."

Just then the door opened and Dr. Folger entered. He was pleased to see Evan awake and his temperature closer to normal. William had roused with the entrance of the physician.

"So Dr. Folger, there's some problem with the bone marrow transplant, I understand," William stated in an accusatory tone. "I never did think that Spencer's bone marrow was the best option."

"Evan developed a septicemia, a blood infection, because we had killed all his T cells with chemotherapy and radiation prior to the transplant. Keeping a patient isolated helps but it is not always possible to avoid an infection. It has nothing to do with the bone marrow. However, in light of the infection, I had his T cells checked and I am pleased to report that Evan's marrow has started to produce T cells, which is exactly what we want. It means, in all likelihood, the transplant was a success and your son Spencer's marrow did exactly what we wanted it to and Evan's body is now producing the cells needed to fight the infection."

Janice grabbed her son and hugged him to her, "Honey did you hear that, the transplant was a success. That's great news."

"There's still a ways to go yet. Evan's body has just started producing T cells, they are nowhere near a healthy level yet but we are definitely going in the right direction and I would say we have turned a corner. I am cautiously optimistic."

"Oh Dr. Folger, thank you so much," Janice said still hugging Evan close, tears falling down her cheeks.

"You're very welcome, but don't thank me Janice, you need to thank your stepson, he's the one who went through all the necessary procedures to obtain the bone marrow for your son. We only took what he gave us and infused it into Evan."

William's mouth settled in a grim line. He was glad that Evan was hopefully going to get better but he did not like the thought that he would owe Spencer in any way. The thought of being beholden to Spencer stuck in his craw. He had wanted to put Spencer and his lunatic mother behind him forever and now it seemed, because of this Spencer was being allowed admittance back into his life.

Janice was hugging Evan close and over her shoulder he was watching his father. Dad did not look happy, he thought. Did his Dad wish he hadn't made it? Did he want him to die? The boy knew from the phone call how his father felt about the two sons he was, to his Dad's way of thinking, cursed with.

His Mom released him and he smiled for her. He wanted things to appear normal. He glanced at his bedside table, there it was, the thing he needed most right now, his laptop and the person on the other end of it. "I'm still feeling really tired. You guys don't have to stay here and watch me sleep. You should go get a rest Mom. I'll be okay now, I'm feeling a lot better."

"Are you sure, Honey," his mother seemed dubious about the prospect of leaving him.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm totally sure." He put his head on the pillows and pulled his covers up and appeared to be settling down for some more sleep.

"Okay, then, I could go and shower and change and maybe take a nap. I know William always has things to do at the university. So I'll see you later, Sweetheart." She bent down and caressed Evan's forehead. William waved a little wave as they headed for the door.

He waited for a few minutes until he was sure his parents were gone, then he sat up and reached for his laptop.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds**

**A/N: Thanks for all the suggestions on how to inflict bodily harm on William, my mind is whirling! You all definitely have 'Criminal Minds'!**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"So," Morgan said, entering the break room and pouring himself his morning cup of coffee, "Any word from the kid."

Reid was sitting at the table, his laptop in front of him, he seemed to be checking it every couple of minutes but nothing! "Nope, there's absolutely nothing, I'm really starting to worry."

"Maybe, there's always been someone around and the kid hasn't gotten a chance to email you, did you think of that?"

"Yeah, you could be right, it's just that you don't understand, how could you?"

"What do you mean Reid?"

"It's my bone marrow that went into Evan, what if something happened and he rejected it or something and he's dying because of me."

"Reid if that happened and it was always a possibility and everyone involved knew that including you and the kid, there's no way in hell you're responsible. You can't feel guilty about this if that's what happened."

Emily and Garcia entered the room, got coffee and came to sit down with Reid and Morgan. "Hi guys," Garcia said, "Any news?"

Reid shook his head and carried on with the discussion he was having with Morgan. "It's not like I can just call and find out. My father wants no part of me in his life and that's fine with me, I want no part of him either, but Evan is another matter. Our dad would go ballistic if he found out we were corresponding. I don't know how Evan's mom would feel about it, but chances are she wouldn't be pleased either so that leaves me here swinging in the wind wondering wha…" there was a ping on Reid's computer indicating he had an email. He quickly went into his email to check it out. "Oh my God, it's from Evan."

"What does he say," Emily wanted to know.

Reid looked at the email and started reading it out loud to his three friends at the table.

**Hi Spencer,**

**Sorry I haven't been able to talk to you for a couple of days. Something happened to me. I got a (I hope I'm saying this right) septcemia, anyway, a blood infection. My temperature was over 104 and I was unconscious for about a day. They had to do a whole bunch of tests and put me on a really strong antibiotic. I'm feeling a little better now but still really sleepy. As soon as I finish this I'm going back to sleep. Anyway, the doctor came in this morning and told us something really exciting. He said that because I had an infection, he checked my T cells and he said that my body is starting to produce its own T cells because of the bone marrow I got from you. He says the transplant worked and he thinks I'll get better. My mom was really happy and cried. Why do moms always cry when they get happy? She thanked Dr. Folger but he told her she should thank you because it's because of what you did that I'm getting better. Dad looked really mad and I was wondering if he wanted me to die since he thinks that we aren't good enough sons for him. I didn't get a chance to talk to mom yet about the phone call the other day cuz I took sick but I'll let you know when I do. I'm gonna go now, I'm really sleepy. Talk to you soon. **

**Love Evan**

When he was finished, he sat with his hands covering his eyes. "You okay, man," Morgan said, "that's really good news right."

Reid nodded, unable to voice anything at that moment. All he could think about was Evan sitting there wondering if his father wished him dead. Had William Reid ever wished he was dead? Probably, he thought.

"That is excellent news," Garcia said.

"Yeah, that's great news," Reid's voice cracked a little in response.

Gideon and Hotch joined the group. Gideon asked "Any word from your brother?"

Morgan told the pair about Reid receiving the email from Evan and the reason he had missed the last couple of days finishing with the good news about the transplant.

Gideon looked over at Reid, seeing a host of emotions displayed across his face, relief, happiness, concern and anger. "You okay," Gideon asked.

Reid nodded, "Yeah, let's go see what JJ's got for us."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan slept for most of the day. Janice had checked on him several times but he now roused easily, he just needed his rest. The antibiotics were doing their job and his temperature was almost back to normal. She felt she could leave him alone and take care of a few errands. Evan awoke in the late afternoon, feeling quite a bit better. He picked up his laptop and clicked into his email. There was a message from Spencer!

**Hi Evan,**

**I was worried when I hadn't heard from you over the last couple of days and I was relieved when I got your email. I'm sorry you had to go through the infection but I'm really excited that the transplant appears to be successful. Your Mom was probably crying because she was so happy because she loves you so much. I'm glad she's there for you. I don't know if dad has ever mentioned it or not but my Mom is sick. She's not physically sick but mentally ill and she's in a sanitarium in Las Vegas. I don't get to see her very often. Sometimes when I talk to her she understands and other times she's in her own little world where I can't reach her, but I know that she loves me very much just like your Mom loves you, mine just can't show it all the time. Anyway, next time your Mom wants to give you a big hug and some really embarrassing kiss, let her, you'll be really glad you did somewhere down the line. I'm sorry about the situation with dad. Maybe things will be better once you get a chance to talk to your Mom. At least then your burden will be shared and you won't have to deal with the whole thing by yourself. Get lots of sleep okay, your body needs to rest and heal. Talk to you soon.**

**Spencer**

Evan shut off the computer, he would talk to his mother as soon as she came to see him and they were alone together. He hoped she wouldn't be mad at him for telling her about dad but maybe Spencer was right and things would get better after he talked about it. He was sure glad, he thought, that he had his brother now. No matter what anybody said, he knew that he would not go through his life without knowing Spencer and his parents would just have to live with it. After all Spencer was his brother and he…..loved him!


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds.**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Evan's face lit up with surprise when Janice came into his room at dinnertime. Firstly, she had had her shoulder length blond hair cut short and swept back off her face and secondly she carried a box which Evan knew contained one of his favorite things, pizza.

"Wow Mom, do you ever look pretty, well your hair looks pretty; I can't really see your face with the mask on."

"Why, thank you Honey, I was in such good spirits this morning, I decided to cut my hair and I asked the doctor and he said it would be okay for you to have the odd pizza. I also got us one of those funny animated movies so we can kick back and have a good time. You game buddy?"

Evan smiled the biggest smile she'd seen in a long time and nodded. Janice got a piece of pizza for him on a napkin and sat beside him on the bed and watched his sheer enjoyment as he ate it. The nausea had all but disappeared and so he was able to enjoy this seldom allowed treat. "Aren't you having any Mom?"

"I'll take a couple of pieces home with me. I have to keep the mask on remember but I just enjoy watching you."

Janice put the movie in the DVD player and they started to laugh almost immediately at the antics of the characters on the screen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Four murders in two weeks in Scranton was no laughing matter. The BAU team was trying to get to the bottom of it. JJ was talking with the detective at the Scranton PD, Morgan and Gideon were at murder scenes, Hotch and Emily were talking to the coroner and Reid was in the conference room in Scranton working on victimology and studying notes left at the scenes, analyzing handwriting and sentence structure, anything to give them a clue to their killer. So far Reid was getting nowhere; he hoped the others were having better luck

The rest of the team arrived at the conference room to go over what they had all learned. Gideon said the crime scenes were all within a certain geographical area leading the team to believe the unsub lived or worked in that part of town. Hotch and Emily offered that these were brutal murders where the perpetrator tried to inflict as much pain and injury as he or she could on the victim. Reid stated that the killer was female and well educated, judging by the handwriting, sentence structure and word usage. He felt that the language used intimated that the unsub was seeking revenge for something but as yet he was unable to ascertain what. He had Garcia looking up some information for him on the victims.

It had been a long day and the team was tired and decided to call it a night and pick up where they left off in the morning. They all headed for the hotel and a little R and R.

Gideon heard a knock on his door and answered it to find Reid standing there. "Gideon, would it be all right if I borrowed one of the SUV's. I want to take a little drive."

"You're going to see him aren't you? Do you think that's wise?"

"We're close enough that I can be there and back in not too much time. I don't know if I'll be able to get in to see him but I have to try."

"I understand," he handed Reid a set of keys; "I'll see you in the morning. Drive carefully."

"Thanks Gideon."

Reid headed out to Philadelphia. He'd had Garcia check to find out which hospital Evan was in and he had a computer map that told him how to get there. He arrived rather late in the evening and hoped he would be able to get in to see Evan.

There was a security guard at the entrance and since it was past visiting hours, he had to be checked out. He flashed his FBI identification. It got you in a lot of places and it succeeded in getting him past the security guard. He headed for the fifth floor.

He arrived at the nurses' station and a nurse was talking to a man in scrubs. "Dr. Folger here are the lab results you requested," she handed him a sheet of paper.

Reid spoke up, "Excuse me, Dr. Folger, are you the doctor that's looking after Evan Reid?"

"Who wants to know," he replied.

"Do you think we could speak over here, in private," Reid indicated a little nook off to the right.

The doctor joined him. Reid introduced himself. "I'm Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI," again he produced his ID. "Evan Reid is my half-brother."

"Spencer, you're the one that donated the bone marrow."

"Yes, that's correct. Evan wrote me a letter. I knew nothing about his existence until my father showed up at Quantico looking for a donor. As I say, Evan wrote me a letter and I have been corresponding with him via email, his choice. We are on a case up in Scranton and I drove down here to see if it would be possible to see him. I do not want to cause any harm and if you think it would be better for him not to see me, I will totally understand. I did not go through the proper channels because my father and I do not get along and it would only cause problems if I went that route and I don't want to cause anyone any problems, I just want to see the boy. I'm fine with you or any member of the staff coming in with me, in fact I insist. I know he is on reverse isolation and I realize he had a severe septicemia a couple of days ago and is not very strong. I will not stay long or tire him out."

"All right, Dr. Reid, I'll allow a few minutes on one condition. I will check with the boy first and if he wants to see you, I'll go in with you for a very short visit. I also will not mention it to the boy's parents. I'll go talk to him now." Dr, Folger went to Evan's room, gowned, gloved and masked and went in. He came out a few minutes later and told Reid, Evan was anxious to see him.

Reid also donned a gown, gloves and mask and entered the room with the doctor. He looked at the bed where the young boy lay. He was small for his age, his face reminded Reid of himself when he was that age. He had chocolate brown eyes, long slim fingers and no hair. Reid felt his heart snap.

The boy looked back at him for just a moment then attempted to get up and come to Reid. Reid ran over to the bed to prevent the boy from getting up and overdoing it. "Hey, hi Evan, it's Spencer," he said sitting down on the side of the bed. Evan looked at him for a moment, and then threw himself into Spencer's arms. Reid was briefly taken aback, but then he enfolded Evan in a hug, tears started flowing down both their cheeks and in that moment in time they both realized that nothing in either of their lives had ever felt so right.

They were in the city of brotherly love, after all!


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds **

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"How did you get here," Evan said?

"We were in Scranton on a case and everyone had quit for the evening so I thought I would drive down and see if I could see you. How are you feeling?" He was still unable to keep his voice from cracking.

"I'm feeling a little better, still pretty weak but Dr. Folger says I'm turning a corner, right Dr. Folger."

Dr. Folger did not say anything and Reid said, "Your doctor is not allowed to discuss your case with me. That's okay."

"So somebody had pizza tonight, huh!" Reid noticed the open pizza box on the bedside table.

"My Mom brought it for me and a funny movie we watched. I didn't have the heart to talk to her about that other thing."

"That's okay; you do whatever you think is right for you. I can't stay very long, you have to rest and I have to drive back to Scranton."

"Please, please, don't go yet. I promise I won't overdo, I'll just talk to you."

Reid agreed to stay until Dr. Folger kicked him out. Evan asked Reid to tell him about the case he was working on.

"Evan, I don't think that's anything you need to know about. Even I find it hard to understand what people do to each other. What you need to concentrate on is getting better and stronger." Evan nodded.

"Can I see your badge?" Reid looked at the doctor to see if it was okay and Dr. Folger nodded. Reid took out his badge and showed it to Evan. Evan held it, read all the words and caressed it with his hands saying, "Wow!" He handed it back to Reid.

Evan asked how all the people on the team were doing and he seemed to have endless questions until he started to yawn repeatedly. Reid looked at the doctor who nodded. "Evan, you're starting to tire, I think I better go now. I don't want you to get overtired and get sick again."

"Please, can you stay until I go to sleep, if I promise not to talk any more?"

"Okay, you lie down and go to sleep and I'll stay until you're sleeping," The boy lay down; Reid covered him up and sat beside the bed.

Evan closed his eyes and was quiet for a few moments when he said sleepily, "Spencer."

"Yes," Reid replied quietly.

"I love you," the boy mumbled as his breathing became slow and regular and soon he was asleep.

A single tear escaped and ran slowly down his cheek as Reid touched his brother's forehead and softly whispered, "I love you too," and then got up to leave.

Outside the room, he thanked Dr. Folger for allowing him to see Evan and for not telling their father. He said good night and headed to the SUV for the drive back to Scranton.

When he was on the interstate back to Scranton, his cell phone rang, "Reid."

"Hey sweet cheeks, how ya doin?"

"I'm fine Garcia; you're up late, have you got something for me?"

"I checked your victims out from every angle and there was only one thing they all had in common. They were all members of juries where the defendant was acquitted."

"Was it any particular crime or did they vary?"

"One crime, rape."

Gideon came down to the hotel lobby the next morning and the desk clerk said, "Oh I was just going to send someone to your room to deliver these," he handed Gideon the keys to the SUV. "Dr. Reid left early to go to the police station and asked that we give them to you; he didn't want to wake you."

Gideon and the rest of the team arrived at the Scranton PD to find Reid busy in the conference room. "What's up," Hotch inquired.

"Garcia called me last night, the one thing our victims had in common was that they were all jurors where the defendant was acquitted of the charge of rape. I thought the notes were meant to imply some type of revenge and I'm wondering if this could be the woman raped or a family member of a woman who was raped who blames the juries for letting these rapists go free. I've got Garcia going over all the trials these people were involved in to see if the victims or family members mentioned seeking some kind of revenge at the time of the acquittal. I thought yesterday, and still believe, these notes were written by a woman, so it could very well be a victim of a rape."

"Good Reid, good work." Gideon looked at Reid, "How did it go last night, did you get to see your brother?"

"Yes, I saw him."

"So how was it man," Morgan asked?

"It was really great," Reid said, his voice cracking a little. "He looks like I did at that age except he's very thin, thinner than me and he has no hair, but he has my eyes and my hands. It was a very good meeting. I know now that I did the right thing. I also know that I will not be kept out of his life."

"How do you plan to manage that," Gideon wondered?

"I don't know. My father will not make it easy, he'll fight me tooth and nail but I feel I have to do this. Evan wants it too but I don't know if his mom will stand up to dad or not."

"If you need any legal help Reid, you know I'm here," Hotch offered.

"Thanks Hotch, I'll keep that in mind."

"We're all here for you Spence," JJ interjected, "We'll all help any way we can."

"I don't want to do anything until Evan is better. He's not strong enough to handle this right now. So let's get back to the matter at hand and find out who's killing these people"

The group split into four teams, Emily with Spencer, Hotch with Morgan, Gideon and JJ each teamed with a member of the Scranton PD to interview the four women whose rape trials ended in acquittals and in which the four victims were jurors. Reid reminded them to get handwriting samples from each of the rape victims so he could analyze it against the notes left with the bodies.

They all returned a few hours later, no further ahead. Reid compared the handwriting samples but no matches were found. None of these women was killing these people and leaving these notes.

"That leaves us back at square one," Morgan opined after Reid had examined the last handwriting sample and shaken his head.

"Maybe, maybe not," Reid intoned.

"What are you saying Reid," Hotch asked.

"Remember that case we had in New York a couple of years back, that court steno going after people who got off on technicalities." Everyone nodded, Reid continued, "What if it's not one of the victims but someone who comes in contact with them, like a counselor or a worker at a rape crisis center. Maybe we should find out who these women talked to and if there's someone they all had contact with, it just might be our avenger."

"You could be on to something there man," Morgan agreed. "If this woman works with these women everyday and sees what rape does to them and then sees the bastard who did it walk free, she might feel enraged enough to take it out on the people who had the evidence right there in front of them and chose to ignore it."

"I'll get in touch with all the victims and see who they were in contact with regarding counseling and such after the rape," JJ said heading for the phone.

"I'll help you," Emily echoed.

They came back a few minutes later with a name. "The only person all four women had contact with was a counselor named Jasmine Cole. She works at the Scranton Rape Crisis Centre."

"Thanks JJ," Hotch said, "Okay let's get Garcia to get us some information on this person and let's bring her in for questioning. Reid, get a court order to get a handwriting sample."

An hour later Jasmine Cole was sitting in the interrogation room being questioned by Hotch and Emily. Reid was in the conference room examining the handwriting sample. She had tried to disguise her handwriting using a different slant than she usually did. She didn't realize this would not fool an expert. He came out to join the group and opened the door to the interrogation room, Hotch looked over at him and he nodded his head, a slow grin formed on Hotch's face; that was about as good as you got from him. With the handwriting evidence, Scranton PD was able to obtain a search warrant and found the gun and knife used in the killings at Cole's apartment. It was another one for the books and time for another plane ride back to Quantico.

Reid would liked to have settled down for a nap since he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep last night but the flight to Quantico was so short, he wouldn't have gotten much of a rest anyway. He checked his email and found there was something from Evan!


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

The air was crisp. Winter was approaching. Reid wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck as he ventured out into the evening. He had another email from Evan, he was excited to read it but he hadn't had time before leaving work as he didn't want to miss his train. His laptop seemed to be burning through his bag, begging him to look at it for the latest on his brother. It had been three months since the transplant and Evan was making great strides in his recovery. He was home now and had suffered no adverse effects from the transplant in the first three months which was a milestone that doctors looked at to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. He was to see the doctor today and Reid was waiting for word on how the doctors thought he was doing. He closed his apartment door behind him and reached in his bag for his laptop.

**Hey Dude,**

**I just got back from the doctor and all the tests I had done came back "well within normal limits," isn't that great? I don't have to go to the doctors as often now and they feel that I have turned another corner on the road to being officially recovered (their words, not mine).**

**You should see my hair, it's coming back really good now, and soon I will be so handsome that that Allie girl will forget all about you when she sees me man! So is she your girlfriend now or what? The last time I called you, she picked up the phone so she must be there a lot. Thanks for the disposable cell. It's great, and my parents don't know anything about it. **

**I think I'm ready to talk to Mom about dad and you know who. There have been a lot of phone calls here lately where the person hangs up and I think maybe it's her. It really makes me mad that dad would do this to Mom. She doesn't deserve that. I'll let you know what happens. Say hello to everybody for me. I hope I can meet them one of these days.**

**Be careful out there!**

**Love Evan**

Wow, that was so great, Reid thought as he finished reading the latest email from his brother. They hadn't been able to see each other again since that night in the hospital but they had grown very close through their emails and Reid had managed to get a disposable cell to him so now they were talking on the phone now and then. It would have to do for now. He wondered how Evan's mother would take the news of what Evan had heard when he was in the hospital. He'd have to wait for Evan to let him know.

He also considered the answer to Evan's question about Allie. He and Allie had grown quite close in the short time they'd known each other.

_He had asked her out to dinner one evening shortly after the day she had admitted to reading his letter. This time, he had noticed, it was Allie who seemed very ill at ease. Allie stated she was usually a very honest person and it was eating away at her that she had been dishonest with him. Reid had told her he totally understood how she had happened to read his letter and he didn't hold it against her. Allie then confessed to her ploy with the concert tickets. Reid had been speechless and Allie had looked heartbroken. She had gotten up, saying she should go and she was very sorry for her subterfuge when Reid had suddenly started to chuckle, making Allie more upset and she bounded for the door of the restaurant. He'd run out after her and caught up with her in the parking lot. He admitted to being shocked at first but upon consideration, what a compliment, that she would go to all that trouble to go out with __**him!**__ "So you're not mad." He'd shaken his head. She'd thrown her arms around his neck and kissed him right there in the parking lot!_

Since then they had been spending a lot of their spare time together, so did that make her his girlfriend? He guessed so though he had never really come right out and said it. He supposed he should think about that.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan approached Janice as she sat in the den doing some needlepoint. William was not home, but then, he rarely was these days. "Mom, can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure, Honey, you know you can always talk to me."

"I have to discuss something with you but I don't want you to be mad at me."

"What is it and why would I be mad at you?"

"Okay, when I was in the hospital, after my transplant, Dad was there one day to visit me but I was sleeping and I woke up and heard him talking to someone on his cell. He was calling this person baby and was saying he was cursed because he didn't get normal sons; that Spencer was some kind of freak and I was sick. Dad said he had told this "baby person," never to call him there and what if you had been there. Then he said maybe they could try some new moves together. I didn't know if I should tell you but someone told me I should and that it would make my burden lighter but I just couldn't bring myself to do it till now."

"Why now?"

"Well, there have been quite a lot of phone calls lately where the person hangs up and I wondered if it was her."

"I'm sure it's just wrong numbers or something."

"But Mom, I heard him when I was in the hospital."

"Honey, you said you were sleeping, it was probably some kind of dream or something. Remember you were medicated with Kytril and Dilaudid, how can you be sure what you heard?"

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"It's not that I think you're lying, I just think you don't know exactly what you heard because of your condition and the medication you were on at the time."

"Okay, Mom, sorry to bother you, I'm going to bed now, good night."

"Good night Honey," she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.

Evan ran up to his room, closed the door and locked it and reached for his laptop.

**Hi Spencer,**

**Well, I talked to Mom, but it didn't go very well. I don't think she believed me. She said I was sleeping and on heavy drugs at the time and I was maybe dreaming or didn't hear right. She thinks the hang ups are just wrong numbers. Maybe she's right and I'm just imagining things. Anyway, I got to go do some math problems. One drawback about getting better, there's no excuse to not do schoolwork. Talk to you soon.**

**Love Evan**

Reid read Evan's latest email before going to bed that night. He knew that Janice Reid was in one heavy state of denial or was just ignoring it on purpose. Either way, he felt it was wrong to let Evan feel that he was dreaming or imagining things. He knew Evan wasn't. Reid knew his father too well.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan was in his room working on some schoolwork. Spencer had emailed him yesterday; he was now in Tempe, Arizona. At least it was warm there, Evan thought. He could hear voices downstairs but he couldn't understand what was being said. His parents were obviously talking heatedly about something. He was staying out of it. Things had been really tense since he had told his mother about what he had overheard. She didn't say much to him and he never brought it up either and dad, well he didn't say much to anybody when he was here which wasn't very often. He tried to concentrate on the book he was reading. He was doing a book report on it so he needed to concentrate. He wished he could read as fast and remember as well as Spencer. Wouldn't that be awesome, he thought.

Well, since he wasn't able to concentrate on the book, there wasn't much use in reading it right now. Maybe he should email Spencer. Hey he had a great idea, he'd get Spencer to read the book for him, it would take him what, five minutes. Then he could give him the highlights, kind of like your own personal Cliff Notes. Oh, he had to email him right now. He got out his laptop and logged onto his email and started to type out his message.

**Hey Spencer,**

**I just had a great idea. I was just trying to do some schoolwo**

The door to his bedroom flew open and William Reid strode in. His brow was furrowed, his eyes were blazing and his mouth was set in a grim line. He was angrier than Evan had ever seen him. "Where do you get off telling your mother that I'm having an affair with another woman?"

"I never said that. I only told her what I heard you say on the phone to that person when I was in the hospital."

"Yeah, well, you were so weak and drugged that you probably didn't know what you were hearing half the time."

"I did so know. I'm not lying or making things up and you know I'm telling the truth dad." Evan's voice started to rise, his lower lip started to quiver. He had never had to stand up to his dad like this before and he didn't know if he could.

"You just shut up you little bastard. You do not, I repeat do not, get mixed up in my personal affairs, do you hear me?" William was now yelling loudly at his son. Evan wondered where his mom was and why she wasn't coming to see what was wrong.

"Yes dad, I hear you," Evan said sarcastically.

"I do not like that tone young man, you had better smarten up or I'll…" William had turned and as he did so his eye spotted something on the computer screen. He reached for the computer just as Evan was reaching for it as well. William got his hands on it first by shoving Evan so roughly he sent the boy sprawling hard onto the bedroom floor, hitting the bedside table as he fell. William picked up the laptop and read the computer screen.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: Do not own Criminal Minds, I only own my own characters.**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

William's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the words printed on the computer screen. "What is the meaning of this," he yelled at the boy who was still cowering on the floor. Evan remained silent truly frightened by the degree of his father's anger. William reached down and grabbed the boy by the front of his tee shirt and hauled him roughly to his feet. William's words were quiet but his tone was seething, "I said, what is the meaning of this?" he held up the laptop with the email Evan had begun to Spencer.

"It's j-just an e-e-email I was sending," Evan stuttered.

"An email you were sending to Spencer Reid. How long have you been emailing him and you better tell me the truth mister or there will be hell to pay."

Evan was quiet and his father yelled "answer me!" so loud, Evan shook with fear.

"S-Since before the transplant," he said just above a whisper, his eyes on the floor.

"You've been sending emails to this freak for months and keeping it secret and you have the unmitigated gall to say I'm being deceptive. How dare you, where do you get off, telling your mother something like…. Oh now I see, oh it's all clear now. It's him isn't it? He's the one that told you to tell your mother. Because my marriage to his dear little mommy didn't work out, he wants to spoil my life with my other family."

"That's not why he told me to…" Too late Evan realized what he had said. The look of sheer hatred in his father's eyes made him tremble. His father took his laptop and threw it hard against the wall, smashing it to pieces. He turned to Evan who continued to quake with fear. This was a man he had never seen before, a man possessed. He grabbed Evan by the shoulders and shook him saying "You….will….. never...comtact...him... again. Do I make myself clear?"

"But Dad, Spencer…" Evan's words were effectively cut off as his father backhanded him sharply across the face. The right side of his face turned a bright red and his nose started to bleed.

"Do not speak of him ever again, do you hear me? Never again." William turned and strode out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Evan stood there in stunned silence for a few moments as his nose continued to bleed. The blood trickled down his face and droplets fell on his tee shirt, blood, full of all the good things he'd gotten from Spencer. Eventually, he went into his bathroom to attempt to stem the flow of blood from his nose. He felt weak after his altercation with his father. Although he had come a long way physically from where he had been before the transplant, he was still nowhere near as strong as a normal thirteen year old. He finally got the bleeding stopped and went in search of his mother.

He found Janice in the kitchen putting something in the oven. "Mom, what are you doing?"

"Oh hi honey, I just made a pineapple upside down cake. It's your father's favorite."

"Mom, Dad just broke my computer by throwing it against my bedroom wall, he knocked me to the floor and slapped me upside the head and you're making him a cake!"

"Well, I spent so much time with you when you were sick and I didn't pay nearly enough attention to your father so now that you're doing so much better, I thought I would pamper him a little and make some of his favorite things."

Evan's mouth gaped. What was going on here? He'd just told his mother that his dad had hit him and it was like it meant nothing to her. She was making a cake. Dad was upstairs hitting him and she was making a cake.

He needed to talk to Spencer but he had to be careful. After tonight, he was unsure what his father would do if he caught him. He got the disposable cell and went outside to call Spencer. He punched in the speed dial number for Spencer and got his voice mail. "Spencer, it's me I need to talk to you, there's big trouble here. I'll try you again soon. Please keep your phone on for my call." He was just about to put the phone in his pocket when a hand came from behind him and grabbed it from him. Evan was staring into the eyes of his father.

"What the hell is this? Where did you get it?'

"I bought it at the mall."

"Get in that house. You will not be going to the mall. You will not go anywhere except to school and doctors appointments for the foreseeable future. I said move." Evan went into the house and up to his room without a word to his mother. He felt it would do no good.

He got his backpack ready for school the next morning and got changed and into bed although he knew he would not sleep.

The day dawned cloudy and cool. Winter was surely on the way. He got up and got ready for school, grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs. He didn't feel like breakfast but he knew he had to eat to keep his strength up. He took his medications. He told his Mom he was ready and they went out to the car for the drive to school. At school he waved a silent goodbye to his mother, went in the front door and walked down the hall until he reached the pay phone. He put in some coins and made a call. Then he headed out the back door of the school. He walked a block to the mini mart and there waiting for him was a yellow taxi. He got in and it drove away.

Upon arriving at his destination, he paid the cab driver, took his backpack and went into the building and stood in line at the counter.

When he reached the counter an older gray haired man said, "What can I do for you young man?

"I would like to buy a ticket," Evan responded.

"Where to," the man inquired

Evan took a deep breath, "Quantico!'


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Spencer Reid was very concerned. After listening to Evan's voice mail last night, he'd waited anxiously for another call but none came. He checked his email frequently but nothing there either. Evan had said there was big trouble there, what had he meant by that Reid wondered. The team had arrived back from Tempe late last night and everyone had gone home for a good night's sleep. Reid had gotten none, his concern for his young brother uppermost in his mind.

There was no case today and it was a paperwork day. Reid was glad that he didn't have a case to work on when his mind was so preoccupied with what was happening with Evan. Gideon came into the conference room where Reid was attempting to work on some of his paperwork in solitude. "Any word from Evan," he asked.

"No and I'm getting really concerned. There have been no more calls and no emails. I have no idea what he meant by big trouble. I know he spoke to his mother about what he overheard at the hospital. He said they've been getting a lot of hang ups lately and he's wondering if it's the mystery 'baby' dad was talking to on the phone. Maybe it's fallout from that. I'm the one that told him to talk to his mother and what if it was the wrong advice. I mean I just wanted his burden lessened, I know how bad it was when I tried to face everything alone after Georgia and I didn't want that for him."

"Reid, none of this is your doing." He sat down in the chair next to Reid and put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "You can't take responsibility for everything that happens in this boy's life. You felt responsible when you were asked for bone marrow and you gave that, then you felt responsible when he wanted to email you and stay in contact and you did that. You feel you have to give him advice; you felt it was your fault when he had a setback that had absolutely nothing to do with you. You need to give yourself a break. Evan will contact you when he can."

Reid nodded, "Thanks Gideon, I better get going on this paperwork."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evan had a window seat near the back of the bus. They had just passed Baltimore and were enroute to Washington. With every passing mile he was getting closer to Quantico, his brother and help. He wondered if his mother had noticed yet that he had raided her petty cash drawer or if she had found his smashed piggy bank. If she had, then she would definitely be wondering what he was up to, if not then he had probably bought himself some time. He hoped it was the latter.

He wondered if he should phone Spencer when he got to Washington. Was he home yet from Tempe? He never really talked about his cases. Evan knew what he did but Spencer would never give details. He couldn't see why Spencer wouldn't tell him about the neat stuff he did. It wasn't like he was a little kid anymore, but Spencer always said it wasn't something Evan needed to know. No, he figured he'd just wait; it wouldn't be long once he got to Washington. He closed his eyes; he hadn't slept at all last night. He had been awake planning what to do, so he'd just have a little nap

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the midafternoon JJ came into the conference room, her arms loaded with files. Reid jumped up from his seat, "Here, let me help you with those JJ." Spencer took the stack of files out of JJ's arms and put them on the conference table. "Do we have a case?" he was frowning because he had hoped not to be embroiled in another case while his mind was on Evan and his problems.

"Not exactly," JJ replied.

"Okay, what exactly do we have," Reid asked?

"These are some requests, consults, that sort of thing, from PD's that want our advice. I talked to Hotch and he thought we could divvy them up among the team according to the information requested from the PD and the individual profiler's expertise." As if on cue, Gideon, Hotch, Morgan, Prentiss and Garcia entered the conference room and took seats while JJ began with the stack of requests she had from various police departments.

The afternoon had worn on and early evening had arrived. They had gotten through assigning about three quarters of the files when the phone rang. "Hotchner," the unit chief said, picking up the phone. "What, just a minute," he clicked the phone on to speaker, "Say that again Larry."

"Okay, Agent Hotchner, I got a kid down here says he's Agent Dr. Reid's little brother." Reid's eyes widened and his mouth flew open. Larry continued, "I didn't even know Dr. Reid had a brother. Anyway he's here, what do you want me to do. He doesn't have any ID but let me put it this way; he didn't have to tell me he was Dr. Reid's brother. I now know what Dr. Reid looked like as a kid."

Reid was bounding out of his chair heading for the door but Hotch stopped him with a look and spoke once more into the speakerphone, "Larry, bring him up to the conference room on the sixth floor please."

"You got it Agent Hotchner." Larry hung up.

"Evan's here," Reid exclaimed, "What's going on?"

"I guess we'll soon find out," Gideon replied.

There was a knock on the conference room door which Reid rushed to answer. There was Evan standing beside Larry. He looked so much better than when Reid had last seen him that evening in the hospital, although Reid had to admit at this moment he looked very tired. He had put on a little weight but the biggest change was that he now had a little bit of hair. He looked wonderful!

Evan was standing there with the security guard when Spencer opened the door. This was the first time he had really seen him face to face. The last time he had been wearing a mask and he had only seen his eyes. It was easy to see why Larry had said he would have known they were brothers, Spencer looked like an older version of himself. He looked wonderful!

Evan rushed past Larry into the room and once again threw himself into Spencer's arms. Reid again enveloped his brother in a hug as the youngster put his head on Reid's shoulder and started to cry. The team and Larry looked on in amazement at the scene before them. Reid nodded thanks to Larry and he left, leaving Evan with Reid and the team.

Reid let go of Evan and held him at arms length. "Evan what's wrong; why are you here." He led Evan into the room and sat him in one of the chairs at the table. Reid sat down across from him and waited for the boy to tell his story.

Evan told Reid that he had told his mother about the phone call he'd overheard in the hospital and that she didn't believe him. He then relayed that he had heard his parents arguing the next day and his father had burst into his room, angrier than he'd ever seen. He told Reid how his father had glimpsed the email he'd been about to send to Spencer and had knocked him to the floor. His father had become further enraged and had yelled at him and said he was never to correspond with Spencer again. Then his dad had accused Spencer of being the one to encourage him to tell his mother about the phone call. He described his father throwing the computer against the wall and smashing it, then hauling him up off the floor and eventually backhanding him across the face. He said his dad had also confiscated the disposable cell. He explained his mother's strange reaction to everything. She had always been so supportive; he didn't understand what was happening all of a sudden. He had never been truly afraid of his father before and he had never ever felt that he couldn't count on his mother. He felt he needed help so he'd come to the only person he could think of. He rubbed his eyes, perhaps due to tiredness or to prevent tears so near the surface from showing. "I didn't know what to do so I came to my big brother!"

"Okay, the first thing we have to do is phone and let your parents know that you're here."

"No, Spencer, you can't do that, they'll come here looking for me."

Spencer paced a little way from Evan and then turned around and looked at him, saying "Oh, I certainly hope so!"


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: Still not owning anything.**

**A/N: Thanks again to all those who read and reviewed**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

"What do you mean you hope so? Do you want them to take me home? Maybe I shouldn't have come here. I thought that you…."

"Shh, shh, I would never hand you back to the wolves, not without a fight. I can't just keep you here and not let them know. That's illegal, but there are things that I can do that are legal and Agent Hotchner… Oh, sorry, I should introduce you to everybody.

"Spencer, you told me who they all are, I think I know them already."

"Oh, really, well then who are we young fella," Garcia asked?

"You have to be Penelope Garcia, the best computer tech in the world and Spencer says the sunshine of his life. He says you can always make him smile and you are brilliant. You call everybody by little pet names and everyone adores you."

He looked at Morgan. You're Derek Morgan, the toughest guy in the world. Spencer says he wishes he could be half as tough as you. He says you live to tease him and you do it all the time but he knows you love him like a brother and you would die for him in a heartbeat and the feeling is mutual." Morgan looked at Reid who was finding the floor very interesting at the moment.

He pointed at Emily. "Sorry, I'm not supposed to point. You have to be Emily Prentiss. Spencer says he hasn't known you as long as everybody else and he had some problems and was kinda mean to you for a while but that you were pretty understanding and forgiving about everything. He said it's one of the things he regrets most in his life." Emily too, looked at Reid but he was not looking at any of them.

He turned to JJ, you must be Jennifer Jarreau, but everybody calls you JJ. Spencer says you're the prettiest girl he's ever seen. You're the only one in the whole world who calls him Spence. You sort of run things and decide what cases to take and stuff like that."

He turned to Hotch, "You're Aaron Hotchner, right?" Hotch nodded. "But everybody calls you Hotch, you are the boss and tell everybody what to do. Spencer says you don't smile very much but you have a really nice wife and little boy. I was trying to look up jokes there for a while. I was sure I could find one to make you laugh. Spencer says he respects you and Gideon more than anybody in the world."

Lastly he turned to Gideon. "Jason Gideon," Gideon too nodded, "Spencer says you are the smartest and wisest human being he's ever met. He's learned more from you than all the education he's had and all books he's read. He loves you like a dad and you're everything our dad isn't. He said he disappointed you once and that made him the saddest he's ever been and he never wants to disappoint you again."

"There, how did I do," Evan said, pleased with himself.

There was silence in the room, then Reid jumped up, saying something about the bathroom and ran out the door. Evan looked bewildered, "Did I say something wrong," he asked?

"No honey, you didn't," Garcia said, "Reid's just a little embarrassed that we found out he said such nice things about us."

"He says you're all his family. So does that mean you're my family too?"

"Darn right," Morgan replied. "Any brother of Reid's is a brother of mine." Morgan and Evan high fived each other, both smiling broadly.

Just then Reid reentered the room carrying a large camera.

"What's that for," Evan said, "You want a picture of me?"

"Yeah but not the kind you think. Well, I'd like that kind too but these are different pictures."

"What do you mean, different?"

Morgan responded, "Reid wants to take pictures of your bruises, like the one on your cheek there." He pointed to Evan's right cheek. "Do you have any others from when your dad pushed you on the floor?" Evan nodded slowly. "Then he'll want to take pictures of those too. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

Reid asked if the women could excuse them for a few moments and he proceeded to take pictures of Evan's bumps and bruises. Morgan said he would take the camera down to the lab for processing.

"Hotch I may need that legal assistance after all."

"Whatever you need, Reid."

"Okay then, let's make that phone call."

Evan looked at Reid and pleaded, "Do we have to?"

"Yes Evan, we have to." Reid led Evan to the speaker phone; Evan looked at Reid again and dialed. His mother picked up the phone on the first ring, "Evan," she said franticly.

"Hi Mom," Evan replied somewhat sheepishly.

"Evan Reid, where are you; I've been going crazy with worry."

"I'm in Quantico."

"Where?"

"Quantico, in Virginia."

"Evan what on earth possessed you to go there?"

"I wanted to see my brother, Spencer."

"And did you see him?"

"Yeah, he's right here; he's the one that made me call you."

"Evan, you know how your father feels about him. Your father is going to absolutely explode when he finds out you went to see Spencer. We'll have to come down there to get you. I don't know when we'll get there. Let me speak to him."

"I'm right here Mrs. Reid," wow he never thought about how weird it would feel to say that, "you're on speaker phone."

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry; I didn't know that you were listening. I didn't mean to…"

"That's okay, I'm well aware of my father's feelings towards me or lack of them as the case may be."

"I'm sorry that Evan just showed up there."

"No problem, it's good to see him and how well he's doing health wise."

"Yes, he's really improved tremendously since the …oh, I'm sorry, thank you so much for everything you did to help Evan. I know it wasn't easy for you and I'm grateful."

"Like I said, no problem."

"William's not home yet so we probably won't leave until tomorrow morning. Is it all right if he stays there with you tonight?"

"Oh yes, I'm quite happy to have Evan stay with me."

"All right, well we'll see you tomorrow then. Evan behave yourself."

"Okay Mom, jeez!"

"Good bye honey, and you too Spencer, see you tomorrow."

"We'll be waiting," Reid said as they ended the call.

He looked at his younger brother, "Cheer up, you hungry," Evan nodded eagerly. "What do you feel like, oh let me guess, pizza!"

Evan again nodded eagerly. Reid said, "Okay then let's see if we can get any other takers and we'll go for a humungous pizza with the works." Evan headed for the door to find the others. As Reid slowly followed, he turned and looked at the phone again and then said quietly, "Oh yes, we'll be waiting!"


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Reid got out of the shower and went into the bedroom for clean clothes and looked at the young boy sleeping peacefully in his bed. He had given Evan his bed and he had slept on the couch. Evan had been so excited with his day. Most of the team went out with them for pizza, Evan had a great time. Morgan and Garcia had him in stitches most of the evening. Then they had come home and Evan was anxious to see his brother's pad as he called it. He had marveled at all the books Reid had and that he had read them all.

"That's one of the reasons I was emailing you the other night, to ask you to read a boring book for me that I have to do a book report on. I thought it would only take you five minutes and you could give me the highlights for my book report. That's what Dad saw that evening."

"Oh no buddy boy, I am not reading your books for your book reports. I used to get beaten up for things like that in high school. Because I was only eleven, small and weak, the jocks always wanted me to do their work for them and they would get violent when I'd refuse. Sorry little brother you're on your own."

Evan had tilted his head and Reid could see the boy was carefully considering what he had just said. Then Evan mused, "If you were small and they were big jocks and you didn't do what they wanted even though you knew they'd beat you up, wouldn't that mean that you were strong, not physically but inside."

Reid had laughed, "How old are you?"

It was time to wake the boy up, it was going to be an interesting day, he thought. "Evan," he shook the boy slightly. The boy roused slowly. "Time to get up buddy, I have to go to work soon."

Evan sat up, suddenly realizing where he was. "Oh hi Spencer, I'll be quick in the shower," he got up and dashed from the room. He had slept in his shorts and one of Spencer's first university tee shirts. He seemed thrilled to wear something of his older brother's. Perhaps he would let him keep it, Reid thought. It almost fit him since Reid was his age when he was in university.

Reid went to the kitchen and started preparing some breakfast. He made some oatmeal and toast. He also had some apples and bananas and luckily the milk was still drinkable. Evan entered and Reid made him sit down and have something to eat.

"You're almost as bad as my mom. She always makes me have breakfast," he said biting down on a piece of toast.

"Quit complaining and eat," Reid said grinning at the boy. "Do you have any schoolwork with you that you're supposed to be doing?"

"Aw Spencer, come on, you really don't expect me to do schoolwork." He looked at the stern expression on Reid's face, "Oh my gosh, you do."

"Come on," Reid said, motioning with his fingers, "Hand over the backpack." Evan handed Reid his backpack and Reid started to look at the books inside. "Basics in Algebra, American History, The Diary of Ann Frank. Is this the boring book you wanted me to read for you?" Evan nodded. "This young girl, a girl not too much older than you went through some horrible things during the war. I bet she would have loved to have a good book to read up in that attic where they were hiding for so long."

"Okay, I'll read it Dad," Evan said sarcastically.

"Don't ever call me that." Reid said sharply, "I am nothing like that man and I do not want to be compared with him in any way. Do you understand me?"

"Sorry, are you mad at me."

"No I'm not mad, let's get going; we don't want to miss the train." Evan got up to follow Reid, "Uh uh, don't forget your backpack with your schoolwork." Evan was hoping he'd forgotten about that.

They arrived at the BAU and much to Evan's chagrin; Reid set him up in a corner of the conference room with his school books, telling him he would be back to check on his progress.

The rest of the team arrived and Evan greeted them warmly lamenting that his mean brother was making him do school work, hoping that they would take pity on him and appeal to Spencer on his behalf. No such luck. The team seemed to think that doing schoolwork was good for him.

Spencer checked on him and helped him with some math problems that he was having difficulty with. He had missed so much school due to his illness that he had fallen behind and found it hard to keep up and often got discouraged. Spencer had a good way of explaining things and was really good at math. Evan had to admit he was impressed.

The call they were waiting for came about mid afternoon, William and Janice Reid were down in the lobby asking to see Spencer Reid. Hotch looked at Reid and said "Bring them up to the sixth floor conference room Larry."

The team and Evan waited tensely for the fireworks they thought they were about to see. Larry knocked on the door and Reid answered it. William Reid and his wife were standing there. Reid figured she was in her early forties with short blond hair that was swept back off her face. She was average height, slim and very attractive. She was impeccably dressed in a dark gray pinstripe suit, matching hose and shoes. Her makeup was flawless. She appeared quite nervous. His father on the other hand was seething and he was making no attempt to disguise it.

"Well," he said stepping past Spencer and into the room, "Where have you got my son?" He spotted Evan in the corner and started over to him only to be blocked when Spencer quickly moved to stand in front of him.

"Not so fast." Reid stopped in front of his father crossing his arms. "You are a visitor in a federal facility. You are not free to move around wherever you want without permission, including this room.

"Are you trying to keep me from my son?"

"People have never had to try to do that have they dad? You've stayed away from your sons all on your own and I think the only reason you're here now is because Evan's with me."

Janice Reid was standing back by the door looking rather uncomfortable. Hotch approached her, "Mrs. Reid, please come in." Hotch touched her elbow leading her into the room where she could see Evan.

"Evan," she ran over to the boy. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine."

"Have you eaten?"

"Of course Mom, I stayed at Spencer's, he made me have oatmeal, toast, fruit and milk for breakfast and a sandwich at lunch and you'll be happy to know he's making me do my school work," Evan motioned to the books all around him.

"Well Evan," William said, "Pack up all your stuff, we're heading out of here. I'll deal with you once we get in the car."

"I'm afraid that's not exactly how it's going to work," Hotch said from across the room.

"I beg your pardon,' William said. "Who are you and what say do you think you have in this?"

Reid replied, "This is Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner and he's my boss and my attorney. He has something for you." Hotch came forward and handed William some documents.

"What is this," William inquired?

"These are court papers filed this morning at the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. They prevent you from removing Evan from this jurisdiction pending legal action now before the court."

"What legal action? What are you talking about," William scoffed?

Hotch continued, "When you read these court papers, you will note that Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid has petitioned the state of Virginia for temporary custody of minor child Evan Reid on the grounds of child abuse, preventing removal of said child from this jurisdiction pending the court's consideration of the case."


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

William's mouth gaped open, "You cannot be serious," his astonishment evident in his voice.

"Make no mistake dad, I am very serious."

Evan looked back and forth between his father and his brother. Did he hear right? His brother was fighting his parents to keep Evan with him. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Janice's face was a portrait of confusion. She appeared to be having trouble comprehending what she was hearing; Spencer was going to fight them for custody of Evan. "William, can he do this?"

"Not only can I do this Mrs. Reid, I am doing it."

"Why," she replied?

"Because of these," Reid brought out a stack of disturbing photographs documenting the bruises on Evan's body and handed them to her. Janice looked through the photos, becoming increasingly distressed with each picture.

"William, you did this, oh my God, you did this to our boy!"

"Janice, for God's sake, quit overreacting."

"Overreacting, because I'm disgusted at what you did to our son."

"Shut up Janice or I'll…"

"What dad? Huh! What?" Reid shouted. "Are you going to hit her too?"

William lunged angrily toward his elder son. "Come on dad," Reid urged with his fingers, "You know you've always wanted to, just remember it'll be assault on a federal officer. You'll be in the federal pen so fast your head will spin."

William stopped abruptly, inches away from his son. "Damn," Reid muttered, "I should have let you hit me."

"You would never get custody of Evan anyway. We've got a beautiful home in Philly. I have an excellent position at the university. Janice is a good mother. No judge in his right mind would give the kid to you."

"Judges can be persuaded," Reid responded.

"And who's going to persuade him, you?" William looked disdainfully at Spencer.

"We all will," said JJ standing up from her place at the table. "We were all here when Evan arrived and heard him give the details of what happened between him and his parents. He told us he didn't know where else to turn so he came to his big brother. We'll all be willing to testify to that on Spence's behalf."

"The boy told us that he went to his mother for some support after the altercation with his father but she was more interested in making his dad's favorite cake. He said he didn't feel he could count on his mother." Janice hung her head as Morgan rose with his statement.

"Dr. Reid saved the voice mail Evan left for him the other night after the incident telling him there was trouble and begging him to please leave his phone on so he could contact him. The boy sounded very frightened in that voice mail. It will also be presented to the court," Gideon added, getting to his feet

"As well, we have proof that you have been spending many afternoons and evenings at the Fairmont Hotel in Philly with a young woman named Erica Granger," Garcia jumped up. William gave her a look of disbelief but Garcia continued, "Don't even bother to deny it. I have security camera footage from numerous occasions. The Fairmont is one hotel that doesn't tape over their footage and they hold onto their tapes for a long time. I have the registers where you've signed in and I have copies of credit card bills with frequent charges to the Fairmont Hotel, a credit card bill without Mrs. Reid's name on it that goes only to your office."

Emily remarked, "My mother has been a senator and an ambassador, my father is also a diplomat. They have friends in very high places who owe them favors. I'm sure I could persuade them to collect on one or two for a good cause."

Hotch spoke up, still standing near the door, "Evan's statement, the voice mail he left for Dr. Reid and these photographs will also be handed over to Child Protective Services. They will decide if criminal action will be taken."

Defeat staring him in the face, William's countenance displayed his rage. "This is all about getting back at me for leaving you and your mother, isn't it?" William directed his anger at Spencer.

"It's always about you, isn't it Dad? Well guess what, this time it's not. This time it's about Evan. Whether you wanted it to happen or not, I care about this boy, I love my little brother," Reid's voice started to quake. "And I will not see him hurt to satisfy some need of yours."

"You know I used to think that my life would have been so much better and so much easier if you hadn't left. I kept thinking, if only my dad had stayed. But I've come to realize that that's not true. I don't think I would have been better off if you had stayed. You couldn't be a father to me like you can't be one to Evan because you just don't have the capacity to care enough about another human being."

"That's why you hate me so much, isn't it Dad, because I'm a reminder of what a failure you are as a father, a reminder that you are and always will be weak. You walked out on a mentally ill woman and a ten year old kid. You left us with nothing but our home and each other. You assumed we wouldn't make it and you thought when we didn't, we'd be gone and you'd be able to forget we ever existed. But we did survive. Oh sure, Mom's condition worsened, as you knew it would, and she eventually had to be institutionalized. But I made it through, ending up with three doctorates, this great job with the FBI and the love and respect of some of the finest people you'll ever meet. All without you. What a blow to your ego."

"You call me a freak because I have this extraordinary intelligence that I could only have gotten from you and Mom. She was the most brilliant academian in her field and you were and probably still are close to the top of yours. I've come to feel I got the best of both of you; I got some of her awesome intellect, her voracious love of reading, and her quirky sense of humor. I got your looks, your brown hair, brown eyes, and even some of your profound intellect as well. For that I'm grateful; I'm grateful, too, that I didn't get any of the meanness or bitterness you possess but perhaps I would have if I'd been around you longer. Your leaving may have been the best thing that could have happened to me. I'm also relieved that you seem not to have passed your lesser traits on to Evan and I need to prevent that from happening in the future and if that means I have to get him away from you, then that's what I'll do."

"Janice, may I call you Janice?" She nodded. Reid sat on the couch with her and Evan. "I have no desire to rip Evan from the home he has always known but I cannot tolerate a situation where he is subjected to the influence of our father."

"He won't be. After today William is no longer welcome in my and Evan's home. I'm sorry I doubted you when you told me what you heard." She looked at Evan and caressed his bruised cheek. "I guess I just didn't want it to be true so I thought if I didn't believe it, it wouldn't be true. Pretty stupid, huh?"

"Agent Hotchner, you're a lawyer, correct?" Hotch nodded. "Do you know a good divorce lawyer in Philly?"

"I'll find you the best."

"I'd appreciate that." She glared at William then turned to Reid. "Spencer, you have been so wonderful to Evan, from donating the bone marrow that saved his life to becoming a real brother to him. I don't know how I'll ever thank you."

"I don't want any thanks; I just want to have Evan in my life."

"That's a given," Janice replied.

Hotch picked up the phone on the table and punched in some numbers. "Larry could you come to the conference room and escort William Reid from the building please and he is not to be allowed admittance again under any circumstances."

William Reid said nothing, staring bleakly at his two sons sitting side by side, so alike, and too late he wished it could have all been different. Two security guards showed up, William gestured as if about to say something but could find no words so he just turned and left with the guards.

"You okay buddy," Reid asked Evan after their father had gone. Evan nodded.

"You sure showed him," Evan said, looking proudly at his older brother. "You know, something's funny."

"What's funny?"

"The leukemia is the worst thing I've ever been through but if I didn't have the leukemia, I wouldn't have needed the bone marrow and I wouldn't have met you."

"You're right; sometimes it's our worst experiences that reveal to us what's best and most important in our lives. Have you ever heard the expression, "these things are sent to try us?" Evan shook his head. "It means that God or fate or whatever entity you believe in gives you a challenge, and you either come through it or not but if you make it to the other side, you usually come out a stronger and better person. I think maybe the leukemia was your challenge and you made it through. You passed the test with flying colors."

"I couldn't have done it without you or my Mom and all the doctors and everybody." He looked at Janice and she squeezed his hand.

"That's okay," Reid continued, "Nothing says you have to go through these challenges alone, I learned that the hard way when I went through a challenge of my own." He turned and looked at his team, his friends, his family still sitting in the conference room, supporting him as always.

"I guess we got through it together," Evan mused, "Like real brothers."

"We are real brothers and I am going to keep my eye on you. I have to make sure that you're taking good care of that bone marrow of mine."

"I will, I promise. Now I have only one question."

"What's that?"

"When do I get to meet Allie?"

**The End**


End file.
